Crazy Love
by Lucid Luci
Summary: This is a sequel to Endless Summer. You may find that particular story on my LJ community, linked in my profile. This was written and published between '04 and '05. Any other "Crazy Love" stories you may find involving J/H are strictly from concentrate.
1. Default Chapter

_**A/N**_: Okay before we get this here fluffy sequel going, I'll have you guys know that this was written _way_ before Acid Queen and about two episodes before that, too. All the similarities are strictly coincidental and yes, I am that good. Or cliché. Whatever. Although I do admit that I'm working off of a lot of stuff from S6, I wouldn't simply steal plot lines from them. Well, a little. You'll see in the next chapter.

Titles/Lyrics by Van Morrison

This is a sequel to Endless haven't any Disclaimer Rights

_And it seems like and it feels like_

_And it seems like yes it feels like_

_A brand new day, yeah_

_A brand new day oh_

"Oh my god, Steven, look!" Jackie ripped the box open and pulled out a car seat for the baby, "A car seat!"

Hyde smiled, "Does it match the interior?"

She rolled her eyes and set it down; taking Donna's gift giddily she ripped the pink bow off and tore the wrapping paper away, "A diaper bag! Ooh, and it has pink stripes!"

She squealed and hugged Donna, "Thank you!" She opened it and found baby powder and a pack of diapers in another bow, along with pacifiers and baby lotion.

The baby shower consisted of the gang and Kitty and Red, Laurie passed through and gave Jackie a pink receiver blanket with a condom inside, stole some cans of beer, and went on her way.

The Forman's chipped in to buy Jackie a car seat and Donna and Eric got her the diaper bag, Bob was next and he pushed his present toward her eagerly.

"Here ya go, Jackie, I saw this in the store and had to get it. Boy, they sure didn't have these things when Midge had Donna, tell ya that."

"Ooh, Mr. Pinciotti, you didn't have to," She reached for the large box and plucked the top open to reveal a crib mobile with Mickey characters parading off of it, Jackie gasped, "Mickey!"

Hyde slouched in to his seat and checked his watch, he appreciated the gifts, he did. He just didn't realize it'd take so fricking long to sit through.

After the stripper incident, and the surprisingly short talk afterward, him and Jackie seemed to clash less and when they did it wasn't a big deal. For Thanksgiving, the Forman's had their annual dinner and party and Donna and Eric came home for the week, experiencing first hand a six month pregnant Jackie.

And what a joy that was, Jackie took their presence as a sign of more servants and people to scream at, Hyde was relieved and let Jackie and Donna spend as much time together as humanly possible.

She was fine at night, how he liked her, but the day time was pure hell, she was bored and if he thought she was hungry before…he'd be happy to eat a whole meal with out her eyeing his food after finishing hers.

As much as those things were irritating, he always found the bright side with her. How she held her stomach and talked to it when she thought no one was looking, how she always came to him first with how her day went and kissed him silly when he was being grouchy.

He found it funny that the first girl he ever loved was going to be the last, too. His instincts made clear that she was going to be the only one for him; he couldn't picture a day with out her.

That used to scare the shit out of him but now it was a casual thought, welcome, even. This party, however, wasn't. He's been sitting in the same spot handing out smiles and he didn't even get to have any beer, yet.

Jackie's friends from that program she went to came and left, dropping off their gifts, flirting with Kelso on their way out. Speaking of, it was his turn and Hyde picked his head up to see what he got them.

Kelso stood and held a rectangular box, "Okay, I know everyone got you all these super cool gifts and stuff and I'm here to tell you that this one may not exceed in quantity, but most definitely quality!"

"Oh, Michael, you don't have to worry about that." She gave him one of her infamous Jackie smiles and snatched the box away and tore it open enthusiastically, she held out booties, a bib, a tiny outfit, and a fuzzy blanket. "Aww, Michael, I love it!" She paused, "You bought this, right?"

Kelso nodded, "Duh, Jackie, I'm almost a cop now, I can't steal." He swayed his head back and forth, "But I _can_ do other things. I pretended to be asleep when they taught us the other rules."

Hyde noticed some writing on the bib and nodded to it, "Kelso, what's that say?"

"Oh, that says, "'Lil' Rookie'" He stuck his tongue out, "The force has a gift shop, man!"

"Great, my kid owns something from law enforcement and she isn't even born yet. Thanks, man."

Jackie giggled, "I think it's cute."

"You would." Hyde said.

Just then, Kitty popped in from the kitchen holding a plate full of brownies, "Oh, Steven, you didn't tell me you were making these wonderful brownies again!"

Jackie gasped.

Hyde smiled, "Mrs. Forman. This is a special occasion, so I made special brownies."

The guys rushed Kitty and took two at a time, shoving it in their mouth before Kitty pushed them off, one brownie stood on its own, "Jackie, dear, do you want this last one?"

Hyde shook his head, "Nah, she's fine."

Jackie smiled inwardly, "Hmm, they do look awfully delicious."

He shot her a look and she reached for the brownie, he dove in front of her and shoved it in his mouth before she could touch it.

Kitty shook her head, "That wasn't very nice, Steven."

He talked through the chocolate, "Yesh ish rilly wush. Bush am sovvy angeeway."

Jackie smirked, "Steven, I was hungry."

Hyde swallowed it and coughed, "I'll buy you some more later. I think these were undercooked."

"Really?" Jackie tilted her head at him.

"Mmhmm."

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

After everyone had left Jackie sat in the basement going over her gifts, inspecting each and placing them carefully beside each other.

She was getting sick of being pregnant, at first it was exciting and new…now all the aches and pains not only hurt but also just got old.

She couldn't remember the last time she could tie her shoe with out grimacing, her hips hurt, she couldn't sit comfortably, her gums bled, and her backached, and all she wanted to do was sleep.

Not because she was tired but because that's the only time where she could forget she was pregnant, until she woke up and her hips ached again and it'd be a cold day in hell if she could sleep through the night with out having to get up and pee.

But today she kind of forgot about that, a little. All her friends in one place showering her with gifts and fabricated compliments on her looks, it was nice, kind of like when she was in high school.

She couldn't blame Hyde for trying, even if he failed at trying to help alleviate the pain, his efforts were amusing and a total one-eighty from the way he usually acted.

She didn't want to complain in detail too much, it was evident in her posture and moods, and she didn't want to be too cranky. She had two more months to go, and that's a long time to be cranky.

She sent Hyde to the store to pick up normal brownies and after arguing about his promise to go anyway, he gave up and went.

That was another thing, he wasn't putting up so much of a fight anymore, which would be pleasant on any other day but she was bored and their spars were a way to pass time and his lack of smart-ass comments annoyed her.

He learned to keep a balance but it took work. She noticed he held her stomach more when they slept, or he slept and she desperately tried, she would spoon against him and he wrapped his arms around her stomach and drew lazy circles around her bellybutton and trace lines up and down.

It was nice but she hardly ever stayed in that position and she'd have to move his arms out of the way to turn around and then just as she'd fall asleep the baby would do a head stand on her bladder and she got up again.

On that thought she struggled in to a standing position to run to the bathroom.

Hyde had his arm draped across Jackie's shoulders as they sat in the basement watching _Little House On The Prairie_, it went in to commercial and Jackie groaned.

"What now?" Hyde asked, looking down at her.

"I'm sick of being pregnant." She pouted.

"I'm sick of you being pregnant too."

"Steven, it's different for you, you just have to deal with me whining about it, you don't have to _experience_ it."

"Well, I almost _experience_ it when you resort to physical violence."

"I only did that once,"

"Twice." He cut in.

"Twice, and you deserved it."

"How did I deserve a shoe thrown at my head and being kicked?"

"You weren't listening to me and, and….you agreed with the guys when they said that stupid girl on TV was hot."

"She was."

She nudged him in the ribs.

"Ow, damnit."

"Quit saying other girls are hot."

"And when you say Davey Jones is 'to die for' it's different?"

"Yes."

He shrugged and turned his attention back to the television, "Whatever."

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

"Steven, honey, go get Jackie, her eggs are getting cold." Kitty's voice rang throughout the kitchen as she shut the stove off and poured the bacon off the pan in to a basket.

"She told me if I woke her up she'd cut me o—" Hyde paused, "She'd kill me. Yeah."

Red snorted and took a sip of his juice, whipping the paper up in front of him.

"Christmas is in a week, Steven, what did you get her?" Kitty took a seat next to him.

"I figure I'd do it next week." He shrugged.

"Oh, _Steven_." Kitty's voice dripped with dread, "Everything will be gone by then and all those obnoxious people are all over the stores like hounds. You don't want to get caught up in that."

"I have it on layaway." He mumbled, shoving a piece of toast in his mouth.

Kitty broke out in a smile, "Oh, good for you, then."

She sat down next to him and looked at Red, "I wish everyone was as prepared as you are."

Red slowly brought the paper down, "Kitty."

"Yes?" She perked up.

He stared at her for a while before nodding to the salt, "Pass the salt."

Just then Jackie pushed the door open groggily and took a seat next to Hyde, "Steven, why didn't you wake me up for breakfast?"

Kitty got up and laid a plate full of eggs and toast in front of her and sat back down.

"You told me not to wake you up." He said.

Jackie poked at her eggs with a fork, "Great now they're going to get cold. And I told you not to wake me up for stupid stuff, this is food."

Hyde grunted something and continued eating.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

"So, what'd you get her?" Eric asked, getting a Popsicle out from the freezer.

Hyde crossed his arms, "What'd you get Donna?"

"I asked first." He sat on the edge of the couch and stuck the Popsicle in his mouth.

"Fine. A house in Maui."

Eric blinked at him, "C'mon tell me."

"No, you'll see when I give it to her."

"Well, I got Donna a tennis bracelet, figured the ring thing's been done one time too many."

"Tellin' me, man, the girl only has ten fingers."

"Ha-ha." Eric checked his watch, "Hey, think we have to meet Kelso at the Hub?"

"For what?"

"I don't know, he said it was a surprise."

"Hmm."

"What are the chances this surprise will blow up in _his_ face?"

"Pretty great."

"Let's go."


	2. Perfect Fit

_Now baby just lately you've been holding back too much_

_Your looks and my language, this could be the perfect touch_

_What you are asking fits with everything on my list_

_This could be the perfect fit_

~^~

Kelso sat impatiently in one of the booths with Fez and Donna sitting across from him.

"Just tell us already, Kelso." Donna demanded, "I'm hungry and this is getting ridiculous."

"Damn Donna, just wait 'til Jackie, Hyde, and Forman get here." 

"Why do they have to be here?" Fez asked.

""Cause they just do, Fez."

"That isn't good enough, just tell us." 

"No."

"Tell us." Fez repeated.

"No."

"Tell us."

"NO!" 

Fez gave up and crossed his arms, "This better be good, you bastard."

The door flung open and Hyde and Eric strode in, looking around for the gang, they took a seat and looked at Kelso expectantly.

Kelso got comfortable in his seat, "Okay, I wanted everyone to be here because," He took a look around, "Wait, where's Jackie?" 

"Sleeping." Hyde answered, smirking, "Wore her out."

Donna made a face, "Eugh."

Eric threw a fry at Kelso, "Spit it out already, man."

"I'm getting married!" Kelso bounced in his seat. 

 They all stared in shock at Kelso before Eric spoke up, "To _who_?"

"Brooke." Kelso answered like it was obvious.

Hyde broke in, "Brooke….?"

Kelso laughed, "Oh, I don't know her last name."

Donna clucked her tongue, "You're getting engaged and you don't even know the girl's last name?"

"I think she told me when we first met but all I was worried about was getting' in her pants. But she told me she's waiting until she gets married to do it."

The gang was quiet until Hyde cleared his throat, "So you're getting _married_ just to do it with her?"

"Damn, Hyde, you make it seem like that's the only reason."

"Is it?" Hyde asked.

"Well it's one of the top five, tell ya that."

"I know I'll regret asking this, but, what are the other four?" Eric asked.

"For one thing, she's hot. Like, not your run of the mill hot girl hot, but hot hot." Kelso counted off his fingers, 

"And she doesn't talk my ear off like _other_ girls I know." He glanced at Hyde at this one, to which Hyde flipped him off, "Plus, I think I love her."

"And…" Donna said.

"And…what?"

"Those were three things."

"Oh, and she's a librarian so I get the nudie mags for free."

"Kelso, that's a library, you get them free anyway." Hyde said.

"But I get to _keep_ them, Hyde."

"No you don't."

"Yes I do."

"Not legally."

"Since when do you care about whether it's legal or not, Hyde?" Eric suddenly asked, cutting in.

"Well, I don't, but I'm trying to make a point here, Forman."

"_Any_way, I'm inviting her over to the basement tonight so I wanted to warn you all. She's very hot."

"I'll try to maintain myself." Donna deadpanned.

"Oh, not you, go crazy if ya want." Kelso winked at her, "I'm just talkin' about these guys."

"I can't promise you anything." Fez said, "I have needs."

"You're gonna have to find your needs elsewhere, Fez. Hotties don't go for foreigners."

"And what do you call Nina and Laurie?" Fez asked.

"That was a fluke. What do you call Big Rhonda?" 

"Fine." Fez pouted.

"So, waitaminute, she said yes to you?" Eric asked.

"Why wouldn't she?" 

"How long have you known her?" Hyde cut in.

"Uh…"

"Did you set a date?" Donna asked, looking at Eric pointedly.

"See, I was…"

"And most importantly, how big are her boobs?" Fez asked.

"Damn guys! Let a fella get organized, here!" 

Kelso looked at Hyde, "I've known her for a couple of months but she kept turnin' me down. But, I'm a relentless striking male and sooner or later she went out with me." 

He turned to Donna, "We're gonna elope in Vegas some time next month, and Fez, you'll have to see for yourself."

"So, wait, she doesn't want to do it until she's married but she's willing to elope in Vegas?" Donna asked.

"Oh, I didn't tell her about that part yet."

"Mmhmm." Donna sucked her teeth and patted him on the back, "Good luck with that."

"You guys are cool with her comin' over tonight, right?"

They all shrugged.

"Cool!" Kelso got up to leave, "I'll pay you guys back tomorrow."

They all stared at each other. Donna looked around the table, "What's he talking about?"

Hyde gestured to the food, "I think he means that."

Eric crossed his arms; "I don't have my wallet with me."

"I spent mine on candy." Fez said.

"I think I have a penny." Donna poked a coin out of her pocket.

They turned to Hyde's empty chair and sighed.

~^~

"What?!" Jackie's voice bellowed off the basement walls.

"You heard me." Hyde said, giving her an odd look. 

"Michael Kelso, our Michael Kelso, is getting married?" She asked, her eyes disbelieving.

"What I just said, Jacks."

She shrugged and clucked her tongue; she plopped down on the couch and shrugged again, "Great, that's beautiful."

"Jackie, what the hell? Why are you getting so worked up over this?"

Her mouth opened to answer and she stopped herself, swallowing her words she shrugged, "I'm not."

"Really." Hyde sat next to her.

She shook her foot in a nervous habit and sighed, keeping her eyes straight ahead.

"Jackie."

"It's nothing, it's my hormones. They're wacky and I overreact, no big deal."

He shook his head and used the palm of his hands to rub his eyebrows and growled, "Whatever."

"Oh, shut up." She snapped.

"What?" 

"That Zen crap does _not_ work on me anymore, Steven. I said it's no big deal and you will believe me when I say it's No Big Deal."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes."

"Whatever."

"It's not working." She shrugged.

"That's cool." He smirked.

"We can do this all day." Her teeth gritted.

"Whatever." He popped his sunglasses back on.

Jackie smacked him upside his head and shrilled, "Steven, stop it!"

He pointed to her, "See, told you you were violent." 

~^~

Tell me that it's madness to want something quite like this 

_But they don't understand the magic that I can't resist_

_Oh and wouldn't it be so tragic if everything just went amiss_

_And this could be the perfect fit_

~^~

"Hell yes it's a big deal, Donna!" Jackie sat on the Forman's front steps and sighed.

"Jackie, why do you even care this much? It's just Kelso getting married, he probably won't even go through with it."

"That's not the point, the point, you lumberjack, is that Michael is getting married before Steven and I do!"

"Ohhh…" A look of realization crossed Donna's face.

"It's like he's perfectly happy living in his best friend's basement for the rest of his life."

"He's going to college." 

"I know."

"And he has a job."

"I know."

"So?"

"So maybe I want to live in a place of our own, be husband and wife before this kid graduates high school." 

She gestured to her huge stomach. "I don't expect to leave right away or anything, I know Mrs. Forman wants to help us with the baby for a few months but after that…I just don't want to depend on them for everything."

"You know that's not going to happen, you guys just need time to adjust before making any sudden moves."

"But I wanna be engaged." Jackie whined.

"Did you really expect Hyde to pop the question any time soon?"

She pouted, "I was hoping."

"Don't hold your breath." Donna laughed, "On second thought…"

"The closest he came to proposing to me was shoving a mini onion ring on my finger. And those stink!" 

Donna sighed and took the ring off her finger, "Would you like to wear my ring for a few minutes before we go back in?"

Jackie clapped and took it, placing it on her ring finger she gazed dreamily at it, "Yes, I'll marry you Steven Hyde."

Donna rolled her eyes, "Don't lose it."

"It's not my fault your fingers are abnormally large and mine are cute and small."

~^~

"So you told Jackie about Kelso, man?" Eric sat down on the couch, propping his feet on the coffee table.

"Yeah." Hyde looked bored with the subject already.

"What'd she say?" 

"She said it was beautiful." Well, he wasn't exactly lying; she did say that.

"Oh. That bad, huh?" 

"I don't know what the hell's wrong with her." Hyde shrugged, "I give up, she's a psycho."

"Hmm." Eric was quiet for a moment and then, "So, you know Brooke's comin' over tonight. Hear she's hot."

"Forman. I know; I was there. Kelso thinks Alice from _The Brady Bunch_ is hot."

"Eh."

"Eh?"

"Alice is pretty hot."

"Whatever."

"Chill, man, Jackie's probably just…" Eric looked up in thought, "No, you're right, she's just crazy."

"Thank you."

"Jackie's insane!" Donna yelled as she trampled down the stairs, "Every time! Every single time she drops it and it takes an hour to find the freaking thing." 

She fitted the ring back on her finger and huffed while taking a seat next to Eric.

The guys both looked at each other before Eric spoke, "I'm sorry, what?" He gestured with his hands, "And try to make sense this time."

"Jackie's all boo-hoo because Kelso's getting married and I let her try on my ring and she started to pick flowers from Kitty's garden—" 

Eric gasped, "Ooh, she's in for it."

Donna rolled her eyes and continued, "And she pretended they were a bouquet and threw them over her head. Along with my ring." 

Hyde cocked a brow, "She was '_boo-hooing'_ about Kelso getting married?" 

"Yeah. But not like that, she's just upset that Kelso, along with me and Eric, are engaged and she isn't." She thumbed her ring, "And Eric, honey, no offense but it took me forever to find the ring."

Eric shrugged, "So?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing." Donna waved him off.

Hyde let his foot drop on to the floor with a thump, "Ah, crap."

 Making his way to his room, he ignored the strange looks they were giving him and dug under his bed to retrieve a small bag. 

Coming back out he sat down and stared at it, "I was going to wait 'til Christmas. Damnit."

Eric looked curiously over the brown paper bag, "Is that what I think it is?"

"No, you idiot, it's Jackie's Christmas present." Hyde plucked open a small black box from inside.

Donna gasped, "Hyde!"

Eric's jaw dropped, "That…that's…"

Hyde nodded sagely, "This is an engagement ring."

~^~


	3. Perfect Moment

_Sunset glow from a hill_

_Let it flow take your fill_

_Such a perfect moment_

_Mona Lisa smile_

One such perfect moment 

_Makes it all worthwhile_

~^~

Jaw still dropped, Eric reached for the tiny box.

Hyde slapped his hand away and snatched it up, "No touching."

"How long have you been saving up for that?" Donna asked.

Hyde looked up in thought, "Hmm, Halloween or so." 

She broke out in a smile, "Aww, Hyde!"

He made a face, "Stop that." He sighed, "So should I still wait for Christmas or is she going to have a panic attack before then?"

Donna bobbed her head from side to side, "Wait." She laughed, "It'll be funnier."

"Hyde, that's like, going against everything you stand for." Eric said, still staring at the black velvet box clutched in Hyde's hand.

Hyde shrugged, "Not everything."

Eric dipped his head for Hyde to continue.

Hyde rolled his eyes, "Fine, whatever, yeah I'm going to hell for being a hypocrite conformist, what of it?"

Eric grinned, "We'll be right behind ya."

"Damn right." Hyde opened and shut the box in his hand, "I don't know, I don't like how Jackie's acting, maybe I should just give her the damn thing."

Donna gave him a look, "Just 'give her the damn thing'? Hyde, how are you going to propose, anyway?"

Hyde made a face, "Propose." He said, grimacing at the word.

"Well that's what it's called." Donna said, "What are you gonna do?"

Eric laughed, "Give it to her in the circle, guaranteed yes."

They both looked at him.

"What? It's true." Eric shook his head, "Gah, fine, go on…"

"I don't know, man, I'll think of something when it happens." Hyde grumbled.

"When's it happening?" Eric asked.

"Whenever I feel like it." 

"Way to be vague, Hyde"

Hyde smirked, "Anytime."

They heard the back door open as Jackie walked in, shopping bags in hand.

Hyde quickly shoved the box in his pocket and crossed his legs composedly.

She lifted the bags up and grinned, "Guess who went Christmas shopping in a record time of an hour?" She squealed, "I did!"

Donna examined the bags, "Jackie, they all say 'Baby Depot' on them."

Jackie set them down next to the couch and smiled, "I know! Just 'cause she isn't born yet doesn't mean she isn't getting any presents!" She hopped over to Hyde and sat on his lap, laying a kiss on his lips with a loud smack. "I got something for you, too." She whispered.

Hyde ducked his head in for another kiss and smirked, "And what would that be?"

"You'll see on Christmas." She beamed and turned to Eric and Donna, "So what are you guys getting me, hmm?"

"Now that you mention it…" Eric started, "Hy—"

Donna smacked his arm, "You're just going to have to wait." 

Jackie pouted, "If you tell me what you got me I'll tell you what I got the thing inside of me."

"The thing?" Eric questioned.

"Still thinking of a name." Jackie clarified, "I made a list of names but Steven crossed all of them out." She turned back to Hyde, "Why'd you cross all of them out?"

"Because they all suck." Hyde answered.

"They do not!"

"Jackie, they were all names from the damned Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders for Christ sake!" 

"So?"

"So that's lame."

She rolled her eyes, "And what do you have in mind?"

He was quiet for a moment and then, "Bertha." He smirked.

"Ugh, Steven, I'm serious."

"I don't know, but I know she's not going to be named after a freakin' cheerleader."

She gasped and he reiterated, "'Cept you."

"Well, I'm not naming her after me. She needs her own name."

Eric coughed, "Sa-tan."

Jackie turned to glare at him, "You shut up."

Hyde grasped her knee, "Jackie, we still have time to think of a name."

"No, we don't, we already had all these months to think of one and look where that got us." 

Hyde sighed and nodded toward the bags, "What's in those?"

Jackie beamed and hopped off his lap to retrieve them, he grinned. She was so easy.

She set them at his feet and dug the first item out, "A baby name book!"

Damn.

He smiled, "Oh, joy." 

Rolling her eyes, she took a pink outfit out, "Look, it has a rainbow." She slowly turned it around, "And…a unicorn!" 

He stared at the tiny shirt and took it from her, "Um. No." He tossed it in back of him.

She gasped and snatched it back up, "This, I'll have you know, wasn't very cheap!"

Eyebrows raised now, "Oh, really?"

She froze and clucked her tongue, "Did I say wasn't cheap? I meant cheap. It was very cheap." 

"Jackie, we can't be spending money like that." He took the shirt from her again, "Especially on crap like this."

"Crap?" She crossed her arms, "This isn't crap! And why do you always disagree with me?" 

Why did she always insist on arguing with him in front of their friends?

Donna got up and nudged Eric to go with her, "We'll be upstairs." 

Jackie turned to them, "No, stay. I'll go." She grabbed Hyde's coat off the chair and breezed out of the basement with out another word.

Hyde groaned and slouched in his seat.

Eric looked at Hyde, "So when are you giving her the ring again?" 

~^~

"Man, she took the car." Hyde closed the basement door behind him and sat in his seat.

"Does she even have her license?" Eric asked, getting a Popsicle from the deep freeze.  

Hyde thought for a moment, "Now that I think about it, no. She has that permit that she had for about four years, though." He groaned, "If the police bring her in, I'm not getting her out."

"That's mature, Hyde." Donna rolled her eyes.

"Forman, lend me the Vista Cruiser." Hyde said, standing up again.

"Oh, like you lent me your car when Red took the keys to mine?" 

"I'll say it again, Forman, lend me the Vista Cruiser." He put his hand out for the keys.

Eric dug into his pockets and threw the keys at Hyde, "Scratch her and you're done for."

"If anything, it'll be an improvement." He snatched the keys up and left.

~^~

Jackie usually came back within the hour when she leaves in a huff like that, and she usually doesn't take his freaking car and disappear for hours at a time. Not that he was that worried; she was probably shopping again. 

Shopping for more crap they _didn't_ need, he knew she was excited. He was excited, too. But that doesn't mean to go run out and spend money left and right for a baby that wasn't even born yet. They had all the basics; crib, diapers, bassinet, bottles, numerous gift certificates to the one and only Baby Depot in Point Place, and an obscene amount of baby clothes. Not to mention all the little toys they got from the baby shower. He was sure there was more stuff but would it kill her to leave well enough alone and go out and get more when they actually _needed_ it? 

Then again, he was talking about Jackie Burkhardt here, and on a more cautious note, hopefully Jackie Burkhardt Hyde. Everything he couldn't stand about her before made him crazy for her now, which is why he couldn't really get angry with her. He knew she didn't mean to spend two weeks worth of his paychecks on baby stuff. But it didn't help their situation any, either. 

Backing up out of the driveway, he almost bumped in to his El Camino pulling in behind him and stopped short. 

He got out and made his way toward the pixie sloppily trying to parallel park, "Jackie!"

She put the car in park and shut the engine off; she slowly opened the door and got out. She was wearing his coat and her stomach put a heavy dent in the middle, she nudged the door closed and sighed.

He was just about to apologize when she spoke up, "I'm sorry, Steven." She walked over to him and placed a kiss on his lips. She took a breath and met his gaze, "I was still worked up over…something, and shopping is kind of therapeutic. I didn't mean to spend so much of our money." 

"How much are we talking about here?" Hyde was almost afraid to ask, he was ready to apologize to her for…well, something, usually when he apologized now he had forgotten what he'd done already. He thought she only spent a little over their budget but the look on her face told a different story. "Jackie…?"

"Um." She forced a smile, "It doesn't really matter does it?"

Off his look, she heaved a sigh, "I'll just go return some things." She turned to go.

"No, Jackie, you could return them tomorrow." He took her hand, "Let's just go inside."

"Hey guys!" Kelso came up from behind them with a tall brunette at his side.

They turned around and Kelso pointed to the girl, "This is Brooke. My fiancé."

Hyde flashed a grin and waved to her, "I'm Hyde." 

He held up Jackie's reluctant hand, "And this is Jackie." 

Brooke smiled and waved, "Hi! It's so nice to finally meet you guys."

"Yeah same here." Hyde paused, "Even though we've only known about you since this afternoon."

Brooke's smile disappeared and she shot a glare at Kelso, "You only told them now?"

"Well, we haven't been hanging out much and I just wanted to make sure we were really together until I told anyone." Kelso rushed out, "And…now that we are, I told them." 

Brooke rolled her eyes at him and nodded toward Jackie, smiling, "How far along are you?"

"Seven months." Jackie half smiled and fidgeted with the end of Hyde's sleeves impatiently, for a moment there she almost forgot why she left to go shopping in the first place. At first it didn't really bother her that Hyde didn't believe in marriage, she wasn't really thinking about it either until she found out she was pregnant. She thought he would give in then, at least. 

Seven months passed and he goes to school, goes to work, comes back and it's the same routine every day. She was glad he was going at all, it's not like she didn't appreciate all the things he _did_ change, she just wanted…well, she wanted to marry him and Kelso getting married before her was just…wrong. 

"Well, you look great." Brooke smiled and gestured toward the house, "Can we go in? It's getting a bit nippy out here."

"Yeah, let's get inside, _Mr. Magoo's Classic Christmas Carol _is on in ten minutes." Kelso said, heading for the door.

~^~

After meeting Brooke, the gang all decided that Kelso has either brainwashed her, or she wasn't as smart as she came off. She was nice enough though and Kelso seemed happy with her, although he's happy with pretty much anything, he actually looked like he was paying attention when she talked.  

While watching random Christmas specials throughout the night, Hyde went back and forth with when and how he'd give the ring in his pocket to the grumpy little grasshopper sitting on his lap. Who, he noticed, was getting more and more impatient. And heavier. 

He loved having her on his lap, you know, when she was about five pounds lighter. These days his leg grew numb in record time when she assembled herself on his lap, sexy in all her pregnant glory, yes, but he was not made of steel. He'd never tell her this, though, she was having enough trouble coming to terms with not being able to tell if her new shoes looked cute on her feet or not. It didn't bother him that much, anyway. Just a tiny observation when his knee cramped up the other day. 

Half way through the fifth or sixth Christmas showing, he decided how he'd do it. It wasn't the most creative thing on his part, but he knew it'd be a total surprise and he wouldn't have to do any talking. Yes, yes, this was just about the perfect idea. 

"How come everyone's asleep?" Kelso shouted, turning around to discover the array of sleeping bodies around the basement. Eric's head was dropped back as Donna snored lightly on his chest; Fez had his legs thrown over the side of the sofa as he rested his head on the throw pillow on Donna's lap. 

Brooke had left earlier and Jackie moved down to the ottoman between Hyde's legs, her head rested on his thigh fast asleep. 

Hyde shook himself out of his reverie and blinked at Kelso, "Because they're sick of watching this Christmas crap, man. We're missing _Saturday Night Live_."

"Do they have any Holiday spirit? I think not." Kelso said, turning his attention back to the cartoon coming back from commercial.

Hyde rolled his eyes and nudged Jackie awake, motioning for her to come with him to bed. She groggily stood and padded to their room with him close behind, he pushed the door closed behind them as she crawled into bed. 

He waited awhile until she was asleep and then fished out the ring; he took her left hand and carefully slipped the diamond on her finger. After fiddling with her hand to see if it'd fall off during the night, he took off his clothes and slid in next to her, satisfied with his work.


	4. Could You, Would You

_Could you, a-would you_

_Um, hold me in your arms_

_A-show me all your charms_

~^~

Jackie blinked the sleep out of her eyes and groaned; she had to use the bathroom again. "Just another two months…" She repeated in her head. She's been repeating that for the last week and the results were kind of like watching water boil. Or paint dry. Or anything else that takes way too long if you sit and stare at it. 

She crawled over a snoring Hyde to get out of bed and yawned, she stumbled out of the room for the bathroom. Turning on the water to wash her hands, she froze. There was a diamond ring on her finger. On her left hand. On the finger a wedding ring's supposed to go on. She touched the ring to see if it were really there and gaped. She rushed back into the room and shook Hyde; he waved her off and turned to face the wall. 

She rolled her eyes and shook him again, "Steven! Wake up!" 

"Jackie, what the hell?" Hyde groaned.

"Get up!"

"Time is it?"

"What is this?"

He groggily turned around and she held up her finger.

His eyes focused in on the ring and he smirked, "What's it look like?" 

She looked back at the ring and then at him, "Oh! Oh my god! Oh my god!" 

He smiled as she looked at it again, beaming. 

"Steven!" She kissed him and he encircled his arms around her waist and pulled her on top of him, she pulled up and looked at him, still smiling.

His eyebrows rose, "So, yes, no, maybe so? What?" He grinned.

"What do you think?" She kissed him again.      

~^~

_Could you love me_

_Like I love you-ooo_

_Like I love you-ooo-ooo_

~^~

"It's not going to stop ringing if you don't _pick_ it up." Eric yawned, nodding to the phone.

Donna growled in response and pulled the blankets over her head.

"Okay, so _I'll_ pick up the ringing phone in three o clock in the morning. Can't possibly be bad news." He got up and headed for the telephone, he turned back and pointed to her, "That was sarcasm by the way."

"Hello?" 

"Eric?" Jackie answered enthusiastically.

"Um, Jackie? You do realize it's, ah, I don't know, THREE O CLOCK IN THE MORNING?" 

"Whatever, Eric, put Donna on!" The excitement rose in her voice.

"She's dead, call back later."

"I'm serious, Eric, come on! I have news! Good news!" 

"I should have known Hyde would have picked three o clock in the morning to do this. That dirty rat."

"Put her on!" 

Eric dropped the phone on the table and poked Donna, "Jackie wants to talk to you. She has news."

Donna grabbed the phone and mumbled incoherently before speaking, "Yes Jackie?"

"I'm getting married!"

She groaned, "He proposed _now_?" 

"Well, not exactly. He put the ring on my finger while I was sleeping, how romantic is that?" She gasped, "Oh my god, I'm in my own romance novel!"

"Jackie, that's not being romantic. That's being lazy."

"Whatever, I'm getting married!"

"Okay, can I go back to sleep now?"

"How can you sleep with this news?" 

"I think I'll manage."

"All right, I have to call everyone else too anyway." 

"Who's everyone else? We know two other people."

"I know, I'm sure Fez and Michael would love to know right now."

Donna snorted, "Kay, night Jackie."

"Night!" She heard a click and threw the phone back on the table.

"Eric?" 

"Mm?" He was already back in bed and snuggled deep in the covers.

"Can you hang the phone up? It's too far away for me to reach."

He kicked the blankets off and stomped over to the phone, picking it up he put it back on the hook and pulled the wire out of the wall. 

"There."

~^~

_Could you, a-would you_

_Um, a-squeeze a-hold me tight_

_A-love me all through the night_

_And never ever let me go_

~^~

"Jackie." Hyde took her hand away from the phone, "You can call them tomorrow."

She smiled at him and went for another kiss, "You're right, Red and Kitty should know first." 

She hopped up and went for the door.

Hyde stopped her, "Remember what happened last time when Forman walked unannounced into his parent's bedroom in the middle of the night?"

She froze, "Ew!" 

He laughed, "Exactly. Now let's just go back to sleep." He laid down and closed his eyes.

"Steven!" Jackie shook him, "How can you sleep?"

He blinked at her and then smirked, "Well, what do you suggest we do?"

A grin spread across her face, "Hmm, we can either… discuss baby names or wedding dates?"

He closed his eyes again.

She crawled into bed and kissed around his jaw line, "Or…."

His eyes popped back open, "Or?"

She slid her robe off and continued to nip at his lips, "We can…" She straddled him and started to stroke him through his sweat pants.

He gulped as she hooked her thumbs around the waistband and tugged them down; she took a hold of his cock and lightly sucked the tip into her mouth. He let out a strangled moan and arched his hips forward, earning and squeak from Jackie. The sound created vibrations around him and she started to roll her tongue up and down his length. 

"Jackie…" He looked down at her, her soft hair fell against his thighs and her head bobbed up and down. 

Just looking at her do this was bringing him closer to the edge, he put his hands on her head just to feel her and pressed his head down against the pillow. She sucked harder when she got to the tip and licked the rest of the way down, she kept on until she heard his breathing turn ragged and pre cum filled her mouth. Swallowing, she continued and let go with a pop. He was almost there and she let go, his eyes opened to see her position herself on top of his and slam down on his erection. 

As his hips rose, he brought both of them off the bed, his hands finding their way to her hips and pressing her even harder down on him. She gyrated against him as they found a rhythm; her moans were delicious as they echoed off the walls. She panted his name and rode him even faster, the end coming too close. Throwing her head back she screamed and he flipped them over, driving her deeper into the bed as he exploded. 

~^~

"Jackie!" 

Kitty's head shot up at the faint scream downstairs and she heaved a sigh, "Red!" She nudged him awake.

"What, Kitty?" He slowly turned around and squinted up at her in the darkness.

She made a face toward the door, "Steven and Jackie are…"

"Oh, cripes, not again! Kitty, don't tell me these things!" Red shook his head.

"Well, what am I supposed to Red? They woke me up."

"I'm going to kick their asses." He made a move to get up. 

"No, no, don't embarrass them…just, I think we'll have a talk with them tomorrow." She nodded decisively. 

"About how hard I'm going to kick their ass if this happens again?"

"_I'll_ talk to them." Kitty reiterated. 

~^~

Jackie and Hyde walked into the kitchen the next morning hand in hand to find Kitty and Red sitting at the table waiting for them. Red had an evil smirk on his face and Hyde raised a brow.

"Morning!" Kitty chirped, "You kids hungry? Oh, I bet you are." She rushed to the fridge and pulled out an egg carton.

"Actually, Steven and I have some news." Jackie beamed and had her arms crossed behind her back.

Kitty put the eggs down, "Oh, in that case we have something to discuss with you, first."

Red shot up, "Kitty, not at the table." He made his way out of the kitchen and into his den, "Now you can go!"

Rolling her eyes, Kitty pulled two chairs out for them to sit.

She fidgeted with her hands and made a face, "Hmm, okay. When you and Jackie are showing…your… _affection_ for each other, we—"

Hyde was in mid swallow with his orange juice and almost choked.

Jackie's jaw dropped, "What?"

"Oh, honey, it's nothing to be ashamed of…but, well, we were just wondering if you'd do so more…." Kitty gestured with her hands, "Quietly."

Jackie covered her mouth as her face turned the color of a tomato and Hyde was still coughing down his juice. 

"Of course, Mrs. Forman." Hyde choked out, looking over to see Jackie turn even redder.

They sat in awkward silence until Kitty noticed the diamond on Jackie's finger.

"Jackie! Is that an _engagement_ ring?" She turned to Hyde, "Steven, did you propose?" 

Hyde grinned, "More or less."

Jackie suddenly beamed again, "Yes! That's what we wanted to tell you," She shot her hand out to Kitty to let her see.

"Goodness, would you look at that!" Kitty sat up, "Red! Come over here!" 

Red entered the kitchen warily, "Yes, Kitty?"

Jackie jumped up and showed him her ring, "Look!"

"Huh." Red took her hand and examined the ring, "This almost looks real."

Hyde rolled his eyes, "That's 'cause it is."

Red suddenly smiled, "Does this mean you're moving out?"

Kitty smacked his shoulder, "No! They're going to stay here until I'm done taking care of the wittle baby." She looked longingly at Jackie's stomach.

"Well, when you do move out, don't be afraid to go the distance." He grinned.

"Will do, Red." Hyde took Jackie's hand and led her out.

~^~

 "You know what I just realized?" Eric spoke up in the circle, "Every single one of us is either engaged or divorced now." He started to crack up.

Fez grinned, "Finally, I'm two steps ahead of your asses." 

 "That's not something to be proud of, Fez." Hyde said.

"You know, does that mean we're all adults now?" Kelso asked.

Eric looked at him, "Some of us."

"I need a wife." Fez stated sadly.

"Think you want a girlfriend first." Hyde suggested.

Kelso shook his head, "Nah, man, he's right. Wives the way to go, girlfriends expect too much outta ya. Wives? Now they don't expect anything."

Eric snorted, "Except for Jackie," He grinned at Hyde.

"Ah, speaking of my pregnant candy goddess of love, what are you getting her for Christmas?" Fez asked.

Hyde made a face, "Man, what'd I tell you about that goddess of love shit?" He paused, "Wait, what? I have to get her something for Christmas too?"

Kelso looked at him like he was from another planet, "Uh, yeah? Even _I_ know _that_."

Eric scratched his head, "Is it bad that I only got Donna one present?"

"At least you got her a present," Fez laughed at Hyde.

"You know how much that ring cost, man? I don't have any money for something else." Hyde said.

"Hah, you got her a ring." Kelso held his stomach choking back laughter.

"You mean you didn't get Brooke a ring?" Eric asked.

"Ah, you cheap son of a bitch, you." Fez said.

"What the hell am I going to get her? Wait, what am I saying? That ring was her gift. That's it." Hyde crossed his arms.

"I told Brooke it was on layaway because I wanted to get her the most expensive ring there."

"So?" Eric asked.

"So, can't you see? He's lying. Liar!" Fez accused, laughing.

"She won't be expecting anything…" Hyde muttered to himself.

"Oh, and then I'll just tell her I got the wrong ring size and they're fixing it until I get enough money to get a decent one." Kelso grinned.

"That actually sounds like it could work." Eric mused.

"I want a ring made of candy." Fez said.

Hyde suddenly got up and all the guys flinched back, startled. "I'll be right back." He said, leaving. 

"Whoa." Kelso held his head, "Now I'm dizzy."

"Yeah, wasn't one of the circle rules not to get up so fast?" Eric rubbed his eyes.

Fez half shrugged and tipped over.

~^~

"What else should I get Steven for Christmas?" Jackie asked, swinging her shopping bag.

"Didn't you already get him two things?" Donna said, checking out the shirts in the window.

"Yeah, but I can't just give him the Pink Floyd album, and the lingerie he can't really open Christmas morning…" Jackie giggled.

"Jackie, it's Christmas Eve tomorrow. Shouldn't you have thought of this earlier?" 

She pouted, "I got distracted." She grinned at her ring.

"Well—" Donna stopped mid sentence and nodded over in the other direction, "Is that Hyde?"

Jackie looked over, "Oh my god, it is!" They both looked at each other.

Donna spoke, "What the hell is he doing in the mall?"

"Ooh, let's follow him." Jackie took Donna's hand and ducked behind one of the potted plants.

"Jackie, what if he's just…" Donna started, "Oh, what's that in his hand?"

"A jewelry box!" Jackie squealed, "He's opening it, what is it, what is it?"

Donna squinted, "I can't tell."

"Is he getting me more jewelry?" Jackie stood a little.

Donna pulled her back down, "Stop, he'll see you!"

"He has his shades on, he can't see anything." Jackie giggled, "Why do you think he walks so slow? He's trying to navigate his way with out bumping into anything."

Donna laughed.

"What are you two doing?" Hyde asked from behind them.

They both jumped up.

Jackie's jaw dropped, "Uhm, we—"

"I dropped my earring." Donna said.

Hyde inspected her ears, "You're not wearing any earrings,"

"Yeah, I was trying to put them on and one of them fell." 

"And I was helping her." Jackie added.

Hyde had his arms behind his back and Jackie leaned to the side to see what it was.

He turned with her and hid it further. 

"So, Hyde, what are you doing at the mall anyway?" Donna asked.

"Forman couldn't pick you guys up, so here I am." He grinned.

Jackie suddenly leaned up and kissed him, she slid her arms around his waist and he lifted the bag he held over his head as her hands roamed to find it.

"Guys, come on, ew." Donna nudged them and walked off in the opposite direction.

Jackie pulled back and frowned, he grinned and threw an arm over her shoulder, leading her to the exit.

~^~

_Could you, a-would you,_

_Um hold, hold me oh so near_

_While I whisper in your ear_

_The sweet words you long to hear_

~^~


	5. Chickee Coo Allow Me

_Chicka-cho._

_Chicka-chicka-chicka, chicka-cho._

~^~

"Steeeveennn…" He knew that voice. She always used that tone when she wanted something, and she'd usually try her best to get it. Meaning he'd probably really enjoy it and relent. Which means he couldn't let her use that tone because he really wanted to keep this gift a secret until Christmas. 

He tried to remain unaffected, "Yes?" 

She smirked and slid on to his lap, licking her lips she whispered, "I have your Christmas present in the bedroom."

Damnit. 

He cleared his throat, "Really." 

"So I was thinking we can…exchange gifts a day…or two early." She smiled.

Hyde averted his eyes and decided the ceiling was a nice view, "Nope."

Although he really shouldn't have did that because it gave perfect access for Jackie to swirl her tongue around his adams apple and up his clenched jaw. 

"Jackie…" He tried his best to sound warning, stern, but that was a little hard to do when she was finding new and exciting ways to tickle his chin with her tongue. 

Well, if she wanted to do that she could, he still wasn't going to tell her what he got her.

"Steven," She breathed onto his neck, peppering kisses up to his lips, "I _really_ want to know…" She punctuated each word with a wet kiss around his mouth and lips. 

She brought her face up to his, her eyes held a smoky gaze and she licked her lips like a contented kitten. 

He stared at her for a moment, soaking in her lusty attempt at seducing him. He can use the word attempt because it hadn't worked. 

He already caved and gave her the ring five days early, he needed to give her _something_ on Christmas. He smiled slowly.

Bringing his hands up her stomach and stopping to rest on either side of her, he kissed her and whispered in her ear, "I love you," He paused, gauging her satisfied reaction before continuing, "But no."

He felt her slouch and he laughed, "You think I'm that easy?"

She pulled back and smirked, "Yes, Steven, I do."

He pretended to consider it and kissed her again, "What do you know, I am."

"So 's that mean…" She started.

"No." He finished, catching her lips with his again.

She pulled away and faked a yawn, "I think I'm pretty tired…"

He held her in place, "I think you're pretty full of shit," He grinned.

She sighed dramatically and threw herself at him, "Fine, if you must."

He untied her peasant top and kissed around her neck, "I must."

~^~

"Merry Christmas, Donna!" Jackie grinned excited and pulled her out on to the front porch. "Okay, guess what Steven got me."

"He got you something? I mean, I thought you said you were one hundred percent sure the ring was it."

"I was, but that's the great thing about Steven. He's always surprising me," Jackie gazed off with a dreamy look on her face, "And it's actually kinda for the baby."

"So?" Donna asked.

"A name bracelet!" She beamed, "With a name on it!"

"Wow, what is it?"

"Sterling silver!" 

Donna rolled her eyes, "No, dummy, the name."

"_Vera Lynn_" Jackie nodded, "How cute!"

"Isn't that a Pink Floyd song?"

Jackie scrunched her nose up, "It is?"

"Yeah, it's off the new album you got him for Christmas."

"How perfect! We were _so_ meant to be, Donna."

"So you don't care he just took it off a record with out really listening to the song?"

"He listened to the song." 

"Did you?"

"No…"

"Jackie, there's only like, eight lines in the entire song. And the first one? Is 'Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn?' Vera Lynn's an old singer from the thirties or something."

"So she's classic!"

"Yeah, or old. And forgotten, apparently."

"Well, Donna, she isn't forgotten if Pink Floyd remembered her!"

"Anyway, it is a pretty name."

"I know. At first I didn't 'cause, you know, it sounds kinda weird? But he had it put on the bracelet and it was cute. And every time I hear the letter "V" I think "Victoria" Which sounds British and classy, you know? Plus, hello, Victory." 

Donna laughed, "Or vain," She looked up in thought, "Or vaga bond."

Jackie stared at her, "Stop ruining it. She's going to be vibrant, she's my child."

"Or vapid." 

"Donna!"

"Can I help it if there's more bad words that start with 'V' than good ones?"

"Whatever. We have a check up in two hours, I have to get ready."

"On Christmas?"

"Dr. Gillian's Jewish." Jackie attempted to stand up, failing; she pouted at Donna, "Help me up?"

Sticking her arm out Donna smiled, "I'll go ask Kitty about Vera Lynn, she must have heard of her."

~^~

 Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka, uungh-ahh, chicka-chicka-chicka 

~^~

"Your baby weighs about two pounds and can turn her head from side to side. You might feel as if your internal organs are crowded, Ms. Burkhardt and they are.

 "Most discomforts will occur in your back, your legs, and the amount of air you take into your lungs. The best way to help them are good posture, proper nutrition, exercise, and as much rest as you can…" Dr. Gillan checked them off on his clipboard.

Hyde spoke up, "Oh, don't worry, Doctor, she is. In fact, it'll be a change if she isn't sleeping."

Jackie shot him a glare and turned her attention back to the doctor, "Dr. Gillan, I don't feel her moving a lot anymore, is that bad?"

"Oh, no, there just isn't much room in there for her to move, she's fine. The baby is very aware of her surroundings. We tend to think of the uterus as a dark place. The uterus actually can be light and dark depending on your environment. 

"You may be able to distinguish sleep and wake cycles in your baby. Although it usually seems as if she wants to sleep while you're awake and vice versa at night. This is not indicative of a sleepless newborn."

"Okay, let's just skip to the part where you give me something for my back not hurting like hell every, oh, other second?" Jackie changed positions in her seat and crossed her legs again. 

Dr. Gillan nudged his glasses up on his nose further, "Oh, there aren't any medications for that, Ms. Burkhardt, I'm afraid you'll just have to follow the basic posture rules and try not to move in any jerky fashion for a while."

Hyde coughed and Jackie kicked him under her seat.

"There is an exercise you can try at home, lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. Draw in your tummy and press the small of your back down into the floor. Hold this flattened position for a few seconds, make sure to breath normally without holding your breath, and then let go gently. You'd have to repeat this about ten times."

Jackie made a face, "Everyday?"

"Well, you can do this every other day, but regardless, you have to stretch daily."

Hyde turned to Jackie, "See, I can help with that."

The doctor continued, "Herbal Liniments may help, too."

Jackie's ears perked up, "Ooh, what are those?"

"There's a Chinese oil called 'Satsuzai', that means 'Rubbing medicine'. Or bug juice." He laughed good-naturedly.

Jackie didn't. "Bug juice?"

He laughed again, "Not actual bug juice, that's just a Chinese simile. You can find these at—"

"Oh, I know where to find them." Hyde interrupted, smiling.

The doctor paused and clapped his desk, "Well, I think we're done for today. The nurse has some papers for you on your way out,"

Jackie struggled into a standing position and grabbed a hold to Hyde's sleeve before finally landing on her feet, "Thank you, Doctor." She rubbed her lower back and sighed, "Are you _sure_ I can't get the epidural now?" 

Dr. Gillan laughed, "That'd actually be against the law, so yes, I'm sure."

~^~

"Laurie, how would you feel about switching rooms with Jackie and Steven?" Kitty sat down next to Laurie in the living room.

"Like my mother is kicking me out of the room I had for twenty two years for an orphan and a knock up." Laurie turned to her mom and quirked a brow, "Is that how you want me to feel, mommy?"

"Oh, stop being so dramatic, Jackie's due in a month and a half and I don't like the idea of the baby staying down there."

"So kick them out, there's that shelter down town that—"

"Laurie! Now come on, if you move downstairs you'll have more…uh, space…and privacy."

"Oh, please, that basement's giving The Hub a run for its money. And space?"

Red entered and Laurie jumped up, "Daddy, mom's kicking me out of my room and putting me in the stinky dank basement!"

Red groaned, "Kitty, we talked about this and I didn't want to bring it up before but…remember how you're always getting woken up? Do you really want this in surround sound?" 

"What in surround sound?" Laurie wrinkled her nose.

"It's…" Red rolled his eyes, "That doesn't matter, Kitty, really, think about this. And when that baby cries!"

Kitty nodded, "You have a point…"

Hyde came in and Laurie laughed, "Speak of the devil," Jackie trailed behind him and she added, "And his milkmaid."

"What happened Laurie, slow day at the office? I'd figure all the traffic on route ninety would keep you busy." Hyde smirked.

Laurie gasped and looked to Red to come to her defense.

"Steven…" He trailed off and snapped his fingers, "How was the doctor's appointment?"

"Fruitless," Jackie answered, "There isn't any medicine for my stupid back."

"He gave you that exercise pamphlet." Hyde said.

"Exercise." Jackie spit the word like venom.

"Do you kids want another heater down there? The weather keeps dropping." Kitty stood.

"No thanks, Mrs. Forman, the three space heaters down there is good enough." Hyde said.

"Ooh, Eric's room!" Kitty suddenly shouted.

"Kitty!" Red scowled.

"What?" Jackie asked.

"Nothing, nothing, there's some cheese cake in the fridge." Red smiled.

Jackie jumped up and left the room.

Hyde crossed his arms, "What about Forman's room?"

"It needs re-painting." Red answered.

"How would you and Jackie like moving into his room?" Kitty asked.

Red dropped onto his chair with a sigh.

"The basement's cool, Mrs. Forman, we have the bathroom down there." 

"It must be cold." Kitty tried.

"Actually it's pretty hot." 

"Wh—" Kitty started and then frowned at the thought, "You know, okay, if you change your mind, his room's always there." She laughed.

~^~

"Steven! I think I'm having a contraction." Jackie bent over on the bed and held her stomach, "Ow…." 

Hyde looked her over and held a laugh in; she's been blaming every stomachache and cramp on early contractions.

"Jackie, you just devoured a cup of chili. It's probably gas." He handed her a pillow, "Put that under your stomach."

"It's not _gas_, Steven, ugh." She shoved the pillow under her stomach and rocked back and forth.

"Well, it isn't contractions, it's only January." 

She stopped rocking and let go of her stomach cautiously, "Ooh, it's gone." She clutched her stomach again, "And now she's kicking me."

"Probably gave her heart burn." Hyde laughed.

Jackie kicked him off the bed from her place, "Shut up, babies don't get heartburn." She frowned, "Do they?"

He hefted himself up and sat back down on the bed, "Okay. That is the last time you do that." He pointed to her feet and lifted them away from him.

"I'm thirsty." She looked at him expectantly.

"And?" Hyde asked.

"Steven…." She whined.

"Okay you big baby, what do you want?"

She looked up in thought, "Chocolate milk."

"How about juice?" 

"Chocolate milk."

Sighing, he got up and made his way to the kitchen. Jackie's been stuck in bed most of the time and he felt like shit. The once (mostly) narcissistic Jackie Burkhardt was now avoiding mirrors and pointing out all her flaws than perfections. 

He took a glass out and poured milk in it, spooning out some Ovaltine and stirring it in he heard the kitchen door swing open behind him.

"Hey," Eric said.

Hyde nodded, "What're you doin' back so early?"

"Food." Eric went for the fridge, "Donna tried making this homemade lasagna..."

Hyde continued to stir, "Ah."

Eric paused and looked at Hyde's glass, "Drinking chocolate milk now, Hyde?"

He rolled his eyes, "It's for Jackie."

"Aww, smoochie whoochie makin' a drink for honeybuns?" Eric cooed.

Hyde shot an arm out and frogged him, "Forman? Do you really want me to tell Donna what you said about her lasagna?"

"But I didn't say—"

"Ah ah ah, she doesn't know that." Hyde dropped the spoon in the sink and took a sip.

"Steven!" Jackie's voice swam through the walls and Hyde winced.

"Later, man." Hyde strolled out of the kitchen casually and took two steps at a time down the stairs. 

Opening the door, Jackie leaned back on her elbows and glared. "It doesn't take you that long to make chocolate milk, Steven."

"Forman dropped by." He handed her the glass.

"Donna try to cook again?" Jackie asked.

"How'd you know?"

"Ahah! I didn't, she suspected it and I just confirmed it." She had the familiar Jackie sneaky confidence tone in her voice and he smirked.

"Jack, you don't have to trick me into burning Forman."

"I know, it's just funner this way." She gulped down the drink and handed it to him with a smile.

"Jeez." Hyde tipped the empty glass and looked at it.

She pouted, "I was thirsty."

"Hey, you want to do that exercise again?"

"Steven, we did it twice this morning."

"But your back still hurts doesn't it?"

"Which means it isn't working."

"Well, we haven't done it long enough." He leaned in and kissed her earlobe.

"Steven, that's cheating."

He stuck the tip of his tongue out and trailed a path down her neck in response. 

~^~ 

_Chicka-cho._

_Chicka-cho._

_Chicka-cho._

_Chicka-cho._


	6. Fire in The Belly

**A/N:** Big thank you to **Sharonaks** =) Helped me so much with this chapter and I thank her kindly. :) Your ideas are brilliant.

~^~

_Call of the wildest, it's got the best of you_

_Fire in my heart, fire in my belly too_

_Got a heart and a mind and a fire inside_

And I'm crazy about you 

_You, you on your high flying cloud_

_You, you when you're laughing out loud_

_You, you with your hidden surprise_

_You_

~^~

"Okay, now hold the head up!" Kitty directed as Jackie cradled her doll, "Good! Now, Steven, you try!"

Jackie lifted the doll carefully to Hyde.

"No." Hyde groused. For the past month Jackie's been reading self-help 'So You're a New Mom' books she told him since it was February she had to be extra prepared. One of their brilliant tips was to practice on dolls, Jackie decided to dress one of her porcelain dolls up in the baby clothes she bought and use that one. 

The doll had frighteningly bright blue eyes and powder skin, the pink clothing clashed loudly with it and gave the doll a ghostly appearance; Hyde took one look at it and walked out of the room. Now they had him trapped in the kitchen and he had nowhere to run.

"Steven, come on." Jackie pushed the doll at him.

"Jackie, I'm not touching that thing." He crossed his arms.

Jackie gasped, "She's our child!"

Hyde looked incredulous at her, "She's a DOLL."

She sighed and rolled her eyes, "Mrs. Forman, Steven isn't cooperating. This isn't going to work."

"Ooh, cool, a fake baby!" Kelso bounded into the kitchen and pointed.

Jackie smiled, "Here, hold her!"

Kelso took it excitedly and held the doll like Kitty instructed.

"Wow, you're real good with babies, Michael." Jackie commented.

"Doll." Hyde offered.

"Yeah, it's all that babysitting—er, I mean, um," Kelso sighed, "Okay, yeah I babysitted for money, I had to! My parents kept cuttin' down on the allowance!"

"Well, I think that's great, Michael." Kitty said, "Now, Steven, honey, you watch carefully, this is how you're supposed to hold her."

"Doll." Hyde said again.

"Steven, how are you going to hold our baby if you can't hold this one?" Jackie asked.

"Easy, I won't be holding a _doll_." Hyde nodded to it, "Look, it doesn't even look like a baby. It's like something I'd see coming at me on a bad trip."

Kitty gaped at him.

"Trip, uh, you know, to…" He reached for the doll, "So how do I hold her again?"

~^~

 "Man, I'm so going to make a better father than you." Kelso laughed.

"Kelso. Just because you could hold a freaky lookin' doll with out dropping it, doesn't mean you'll make a better anything than me." Hyde nodded to Eric, "You. Why are you here again?"

Eric pretended to think, "Uh, it's my house?"

Fez threw an M&M at him, "You moved out."

Kelso grabbed the bag of candy out of Fez's hand, "Yeah, we're the men of this basement now." He poured the candy into his mouth.

"How's that different than when he was here?" Hyde laughed.

Eric rolled his eyes, "It's Friday."

"Forman, man, it's Thursday." Hyde lied.

"It's Friday." Kelso said.

Hyde frogged him, "It's Thursday, man."

"Mmm, Hyde is right, see?" Fez pointed to the clock.

The guys looked at the clock, then looked back at Fez.

Fez cracked up, "You actually looked." He slapped his knee, "Ooh, good one Fez."

"Anyway," Hyde said, and then paused, "What were we talking about again?"

"How bad of a father you're going to be," Eric smiled.

Kelso cracked up, "Man, poor kid." 

"Kelso, if you got a chick pregnant the first thing you'd do is run." Hyde said, "Like with Jackie." He stuck his tongue out and laughed at him.

"Yes, that was pretty good running. Got all the way to California." Eric observed.

"Yeah, with your chick." Kelso said.

Eric frogged him, "Hey." He paused and pointed to him, "She wasn't my chick at the time."

"Still funny." Kelso smiled stupidly.

"Yeah, like how you told me you kept trying to feel her up on the way." Fez said.

Another fist came at Kelso's shoulder and he rubbed it babyishly, glaring at Eric, "Stop that! Those skinny knuckles are bony, man!"

 ~^~

_Stoke up my engine, bring me my driving wheel_

_Once I get started you'll see just how I feel_

_And I'm crazy about you_

_And I'm crazy about you_

_And I'm crazy about you_

~^~

Jackie felt a light kick and rubbed her stomach, she poked Hyde beside her on the couch, "Steven, she's up now. Talk."

"Jackie. I'm not talking to your stomach." Hyde slouched in his seat.

"You're not talking to my _stomach_, Steven, you're talking to _Vera_." Jackie smiled and swung her legs over his lap, "C'mon talk to her." 

"You talk to her." Hyde suggested.

"She wants to hear you." She pouted.

"How do you know what she wants?"

"I'm her mother, I know what she wants and she wants to hear her father." 

Hyde made a face and looked at Jackie's stomach, "No, it's too weird."

"I'm weird?!" Jackie crossed her arms.

"I didn't say you were weird, I said talking to your stomach was weird."

"I talk to her!"

"Well…" 

She gasped and lightly hit his shoulder, "I am _not_ weird, Steven. It isn't weird to talk to your baby so they recognize your voice when they come out." 

"Jackie, she hears my voice all the time." He put his hand on her stomach and rubbed it lightly, "She'll get enough people talking to her when she's out."

"Talk. To. Her." Jackie jutted her lower lip out and pouted, fluttering her eyelashes.

"How about I just do this?" He bent down and lifted her shirt up; pressing his lips on her bellybutton he made a raspberry.

Jackie burst out laughing and kicked him away, "Steven! Stevennnn, stop!"

He lifted his head and dropped a kiss on her stomach, "Don't worry, she knows me."

Jackie made her 'Aw' face at him and grabbed his ears to pull him in for a kiss; scooting closer to him she stroked her thumb across the top of his lips and pecked at him softly. He wouldn't ever admit it, but he loved when she did that. 

The way her small hands framed his face and her lips moving across his in a butterfly motion was enough to send him falling for her every time. 

The first time she did it was when he had the sonogram pictures framed for her on their 'Five Month Back Together' anniversary, which, of course she made up and talked about the weeks following, so he wouldn't have forgotten even if he tried. The second time was Thanksgiving, he was just lounging in the basement on the couch and she came down the stairs and just sat next to him and leaned over and did it. Happy Thanksgiving indeed. 

His  'proposal' was another story, this time she was a traveler and his body was her map, he'd never forget that night. Christmas she did it again, this time wearing the gift she got for _him_. It was their own little thing and it happened so sporadically that he couldn't help but more than appreciate it every time, no matter how pansy assed that sounded. 

She pulled away slowly and rubbed her face against his, finally resting her head in the crook of his neck. He brought his arms around her waist and stretched out; letting the unique happiness he only gets with her, take him.  

~^~

_You, you on your high flying cloud_

_You, you when you're laughing out loud_

_You, you with your hidden surprise_

_You_

~^~

Snoring lightly, Jackie rolled over in her sleep, elbowing Hyde awake in the process. He sighed and slid his hands under her arms and moved her to the side to crawl out from under her. 

Hitting the floor with a light 'thud' he hefted himself up and stood on his knees in front of her on the couch. This was the third time she nudged him awake in her sleep, apparently she could get all the sleep she wants but not for him, no. 

"Figures Jackie's best excuse to sleep through everything is being pregnant, can't just admit she's lazy," He muttered to himself, "'Steven, do this, Steven do that, Steven let me sleep on you while I wake you every five minutes and feign innocence when you ask me about it later.'" He turned around, face to face with Jackie's stomach. 

He touched it lightly and sighed,  "Your mother may quite possibly be certifiably insane. And I'm probably just as insane for finding that appealing. So, you, doll, are probably either going to be really normal. Or…end up working for the government. And then I'd probably have to disown you and divorce your mother, so, for everyone's sake, stay away from them." 

He stroked the top of her tummy in circles and sighed, "They're the only organized system of people that'd get me to do this…" He trailed off, "That includes Jackie. And, you'll probably end up looking exactly like her, 'cause, just between you and me? Her genes are made up of some unnatural steel force. I'd have to think it's all that hairspray and confidence, probably a cheerleader thing. You'll be gorgeous just like her, probably bossy and never make it past 5'3". Mrs. Forman tried convincing me to hold an ugly foreign glass doll and pretend it was you; Jackie probably talked her into it. 

"You'd think out of everyone, Jackie would see how hideous that thing was and not even think to consider comparing you two, even if she had a logical excuse. That happens once in awhile, she'll surprise ya. You'll be seeing a lot of Mrs. Forman; too, you can tell it's her by her laugh. She laughs a lot, probably make you crack a smile, but don't make a habit of it. Gotta be Zen."

The basement door swung open and Hyde jumped up, "Oh, hey Donna."

Donna closed the door behind her and nodded, "Hey Hyde, Jackie asleep?" She nodded to her on the couch.

"Yeah, Asbestos cats will chase paper dogs through Hell in a blizzard before we're graced with an awake Jackie." Hyde took his usual seat, "What's up with you?"

"Eh, the usual. Bring up wedding in front of Eric, Eric go play _Space Invaders_ and pretend not to hear me. Well, he's been hiding out here on weekends, too, so. Where is he?"

Hyde shrugged, "Think him and Fez went to see Jaws the second, Forman hasn't been avoiding you either." Hyde cocked his head, "Well, he has but not for the reasons you think."

"So it's worse?" Donna quirked a brow.

"No, just a surprise."

Donna shrugged, "Just as long as he isn't being a dillhole on purpose, I don't care."

Jackie's shirt moved a little and Donna laughed and pointed, "Whoa, the baby just kicked through her shirt!"

Hyde looked over and sure enough, the fabric on Jackie's stomach was moving up and down. It stopped after a few seconds and Hyde shook his head laughing, "Man, she's going to be just like Jackie."

"So, two more weeks, huh?"

Hyde nodded, "Yep."

"Wow, Jackie's going to be a mother." Donna's brows wrinkled further, "And you're going to be a father…"

Hyde snorted, "Nothin' gets by you."

She rolled her eyes, "I just meant, wow, I think it only sunk in now, you know?" 

He nodded, "Yeah, it's far out."

"You guys have any bets on the date?" 

"I say the twenty third. Fez says twenty second, Forman got his money on the nineteenth and Kelso, the ass, has his on the fourteenth."

"Valentine's Day?" Donna laughed.

"Yeah, he thinks it'll be romantic Jackie landing in the labor room on a commercial holiday."

She shrugged, "It'll get you away from having to go all out."

"Who says I'm going all out?" Hyde asked, offended.

Donna smirked, "You really want me to use examples?"

"Donna, c'mon, this is the most superficial holiday, like, ever, no way Jackie expects anything from me."

"Which is exactly why you'll be doing something." 

"What do you know?" He grumbled.

 ~^~

"I know, Mount Hump!" Kelso suggested. 

"Mount Hump?" Eric asked, confused.

"Well, you said you wanted scenery, check, and outside, check, and…well, likely disaster of me falling off a cliff, check!" 

Eric considered it.

"Man, Donna'll kick your ass if you even bring that up." Hyde said.

"Can I watch?" Fez asked.

"Guys, I'm serious, I got the date but what good's a date with out a place?" Eric shook his head, "No, no, I gotta think of something."

"I can't believe I'm suggesting this but, Forman, you ever think of a church?" 

"Hyde, if we get married in a church, Bob will make us get married in one of his scary ones…like 'Lady of Perpetual Sorrow' or something."

"That could be fun." Hyde smirked.

"Okay…so March twenty eighth, that's like…still freezing winter right?" Eric asked.

"Most likely." Hyde said.

"So, no Ski Cabin…" Eric looked off in thought.

"You're screwed, just get married in Vegas, like me." Kelso said.

"Yeah, did you tell Brooke about that yet?"

"_Eric_. I don't have to tell her, she trusts my uncanny judgment about these things."

"Man, where do you find these girls?" Eric asked.

"Oh ho ho, I don't find them, they find _me_."

~^~

_Gotta get through january_

_Gotta get through february_

_Gotta get through january_

_Gotta get through february_

_Gotta get through january_

_Gotta get through february_

_Gotta get through january_

~^~

Hyde had to do something for Valentine's Day. If he didn't, he'd look like a big jerk and Jackie's cranky enough, he really wanted to avoid testing her limits this week. Throughout her pregnancy, she's had the mood swings; extreme mood swings. But this week she's taken a fancy to being a cranky hermit too. Who won't leave the bed even if you waved a piece of bacon in front of her. 

Which he tried, unfortunately. He made reservations at the hotel for the night because she said when she was little her father brought her on one of his business trips and at the hotel, they brought food to the door in fancy plates and came whenever you pressed a button. 

Ever since, she tried getting her help to do that too but her mother wouldn't let her. With that in mind, Hyde figured this would suffice as a good enough Valentine's present, especially considering he reserved the room with the Jacuzzi. 

"Jackie, come on, get up." He threw the covers off of her and sat down on the bed next to her.

She turned around, "Steven, I'm tired."

"Come on, we're going out."

"Speak for yourself, I'm staying here."

"It won't be much fun checking into a hotel alone."

"I can't go out like this." Jackie reached down for the blankets and pulled it over her again.

"Like what?" He pushed the sheets off her face.

"Look at me!"

He looked at her, "Jackie, what are you talking about?

"My hair is dull. My makeup won't stay on. Even my paternity clothes don't fit anymore, Steven. And anyway, I have to take a shower. That'll take up time." 

Hyde sighed; he didn't know how to handle this. He didn't know what to say when she put her looks down like that, she usually complimented herself enough for the both of them…but this, what the hell was he supposed to say?

"You're beautiful, get up." 

"You just want me to get me in bed."

"If I wanted you in bed, I wouldn't have to do much work considering you're already here." 

"You just want me in a bigger bed." 

He chuckled, "Well,"

"Steven!"

"Jackie, come on, really, you're perfect, just get out of the bed."

"That's not going to work."

"I can still carry you out, you know."

"I'd like to see you try."

He got up and slid his hands under her, hefted up and got her cradled in his arms in three seconds flat. 

"Cheater."

He started to walk towards the bathroom, "How did I cheat?"

"You…" She wiggled in his arms, "You do those push ups."

He pulled his grip tighter and kicked the bathroom door open, depositing her in front of the tub; he brushed his lips against hers. "We're going, get ready."

~^~

_Spring in my heart, fire in my belly too_

_I come apart, I don't know just what to do_

_Got a heart and a mind and a fire inside_

_And I'm crazy about you_

_You, you on your high flying cloud_

_You, you with the laugh in your eyes_

_You, you with your hidden surprise_

_You_

~^~

"Steven!" 

Hyde's eyes popped open and he almost fell out off his position on the seat, stumbling to his feet, he walked over to the bathroom door. 

"What?"

"Steven!" She screamed again, throwing the door open she was wrapped in a towel and her eyes were wide, "I think my water broke."

His mouth went dry, "What?"

"My water broke!" Jackie looked like she was ready to cry.

"W-wait here," Hyde ran up the stairs and into the kitchen frantically, "Mrs. Forman!"

Kitty jumped up, "Steven, you scared me!" She held her chest, "What is it, honey?"

"Jack-Jackie's thing broke!" 

"Her water broke?!" Kitty rushed down the stairs to find Jackie curled up on the bed, "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!" Jackie held her stomach in pain, "She's trying to kill me!"

Kitty wiped her hands on her apron and rushed to get a robe out, "Honey, here put this on," She wrapped it around her and turned back to Hyde.

"Steven, go upstairs and get the car started, I'll get her clothes, okay?" 

Hyde nodded numbly and made no move to go.

"Steven!" Kitty shook him, "Stay focused, go, go!"

He nodded again and ran out the door, climbing up the stairs two at a time he ran straight into Red. 

"What the hell you doing, dumbass?" Red asked, annoyed.

"Jackie's in labor," Hyde responded, circling around him and grabbing his keys off the hook, "Have to get car."

"What?! She isn't due for another week!"

"Week and a half." He headed for the door distractedly.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Red laughed.

"Mrs. Forman's helping her, she told me to get the car."

Red grabbed the keys, "I'll get the damned car, you go and help Jackie."

"I, she, I could get the car."

"You can't even speak, go down and help them, I'll get the car." Red shoved Hyde toward the basement and left the kitchen with the keys.

Hyde made his way down to the room again to find Jackie dressed and crouched on the seat while Kitty shoved clothing into a duffle bag.

"Steven, I thought I told you to go get the car!"

"Red's getting it, he told me to come back here."

"Okay, well, go hold her hand or something." She went into the bathroom with the bag.

Hyde sat next to Jackie and took her in his arms carefully, trying to avoid getting hit, "Are you okay?"

"I'm in labor, Steven. My stomach is revolting against me. No, I'm not okay!" She dug her head into his shoulder as another contraction hit. "Augh!"

Kitty rushed back into the room, "Just take deep breaths, sweetie, remember what we practiced." 

She zipped the bag, "Okay, let's go, come on!"

~^~

_Talkin' 'bout you_

_Talkin' 'bout you_

_Talkin' 'bout you_

_Talkin' 'bout you_

_Talkin' 'bout you_

_Talkin' 'bout you (talkin' 'bout you)_

_Talkin' 'bout you (fire in the belly too)_


	7. Crazy Love

**_A/N_**: **HUGE** thank you to **Sharon**, it would have taken me another month to come up with this chapter if it wasn't for her. So. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.   
  
_I can hear her heart beat for a thousand miles  
And the heavens open every time she smiles  
And when I come to her that's where I belong  
Yet I'm running to her like a river's song  
_  
  
~^~  
"Epidural, epidural, epidural!" Jackie panted and screamed at the nurse, "NOW!"  
  
The nurse ran out as Kitty came back into the hospital room with a cup of crushed ice, "Here, honey, chew on these for now."  
  
"Why does she need that again?" Hyde asked, trying to distract himself from Jackie's death grip on his hand.  
  
"She can't have any liquids and this keeps her mouth from going dry." Kitty handed the Styrofoam cup to Jackie.   
  
Jackie took the cup and poured some into her mouth as Hyde tried to squirm his hand out of her grasp.  
  
Another nurse came in with a chart to time her contractions, as she neared the bed Jackie glared.  
"Don't take another step closer until you tell me you have the FRICKIN' EPIDURAL!"  
  
The nurse was out the door as quickly as she came.   
  
"That's the fifth nurse she scared out." Hyde observed.  
  
"She's just in pain, Steven."   
  
"Pain isn't the word!" Jackie squirmed and threw her head back against the pillow, "She's rearranging the inside of my stomach with a knife!"  
Hyde grimaced.  
  
"And that." Kitty put a cool rag on Jackie's forehead and went for the door, "I'll be right back, I need to see if it's too late to give you the shot."  
  
"Shot?!" Jackie asked, squeezing the sheets off the bed.  
  
"Oh, just a tiny one." Kitty laughed and left the room.  
  
"Steven, they're going to give me a shot!" She grabbed her stomach, "Owww," She let out a groan in frustration, "Like this isn't torture enough!"  
  
"Jackie, breathe." Hyde took her hand and instantly regretted it.  
  
"Oh, I'd like to see you try doing those stupid breathing exercises while trying to give birth to a watermelon through a key hole!" She mangled his hand as another contraction hit.  
  
~^~  
_She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love  
She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love  
_  
~^~  
  
"Told you I'd win!" Kelso trailed behind a rushing Eric and Donna through the hospital doors, "Now pay up."  
  
"Kelso, can't you wait?" Eric shook his head; "I don't have my wallet with me anyway."  
  
"There you dumbasses are!" Red hollered from down the hall, "We've been here for over an hour, what took you so long?"  
  
"Um, living in Madison?" Eric responded.  
  
"So, where's Jackie? Can we go in?" Donna asked impatiently. She and Eric were just about to leave for the restaurant when Kitty called them. After sitting in the car with Eric trying to speed with out getting pulled over, only to pick Kelso up from Brooke's house, Donna was a little over anxious to see the baby.  
  
"She's in that room over there, and I don't think so. Kitty threw the foreign kid out so I'd say it's a no-go." Red sat down in the waiting room and picked up a newspaper.  
  
Fez kicked the vending machine, "Gimmie my Gummy bears you son of a bitch!"  
  
"Fez, that machine's broke, honey." Kitty said as she pushed Hyde out of the room and led him to one of the plastic seats. Turning to him she let go of his hand and motioned for him to sit down, "Now, just…stay there until we call you." She skittered back into the room.  
  
Fez laughed, "She kicked you out too?"  
  
"She didn't kick me out, man, I just…it was too claustrophobic in there." Hyde grumbled, rubbing his hand.  
  
"Hyde, you don't get claustrophobic." Donna said, sitting down across from him, "What'd you do?"  
  
"Nothin'." Hyde threw a leg over his knee and shoves his sunglasses back on.  
  
"Said somethin' stupid, didn't you?" Red lowered the paper to laugh at him.  
  
"I only said she didn't need the freakin' epidural."   
  
Red shook his head condescendingly and shook the paper back out in front of his face.   
  
"So, how long did they say it'd be?" Donna asked.  
  
"They didn't."   
  
Eric laid a cup of coffee on the stand next to Hyde and plopped down, "Tell her to be careful of any horns."  
  
Hyde shot an arm out to frog him and took the coffee to sip it, "This tastes like crap, Forman."  
  
"It's a hospital, Hyde. And next time you go in there, just…give her space."  
  
"Oh, not this again." Donna rolled her eyes, "Hyde, don't listen to him, hold her hand and just be quiet."  
  
"Pretty hard to do when she's crushing it, Donna." Hyde flexed his hand experimentally and flinched in pain.   
  
"No, pregnant women don't want comfort, they want revenge." Eric nodded, "Trust me, I went with my mom to work and—"  
  
"Wait, wait, wait, you went with your mommy to _work_?" Hyde asked.  
  
"It was career day, Hyde."   
  
"Why not Red?"  
  
"Well I would have but he didn't have a—"  
  
"Say it and I'll kick your ass into the middle of next week." Red interrupted.  
  
Eric sighed, "Like I was saying, this one woman was in labor and she had…like, fire in her eyes. It was like when Darth Vader—"  
  
"Eric." Donna raised her eyebrows, daring him to continue.  
  
He slouched, deflated, "Fine! You give him advice, Dear freakin' Abbey." Eric crossed his arms.  
  
She smiled sweetly, "When they let you back in, just hold her hand and try not to say anything until the baby's out. Even then, just nod to communicate."  
  
"What do you mean when they 'let' me back in? I'm my own man, I can go in and out as I please."   
  
Red snorted.  
  
"What?" Hyde asked defensively.  
  
"Okay Mister Independence, go back in there and show us who's boss." Red dared.  
  
Hyde paused, "What if I don't feel like going in there just yet?"  
  
"What if you're a pansy ass liar?" Red grinned.  
  
Hyde sighed and got up and headed for the room, determined.  
  
Fez followed behind him quietly.  
  
Hyde stopped short and Fez bumped into him, "Fez, man, what the hell are you doing?"  
  
"But I want to see the baby the get borned!" Fez whined.  
  
"Well, you can't! And that's not even a word." Hyde shoved him away and let himself in the room.  
  
A minute later the door opened and Kitty pushed Hyde back out, "I told you we'd call you when we needed you!" She went back in and shut the door in his face.  
  
Slowly turning around, the gang applauded and he rolled his eyes at them. "Shut up, she doesn't want anyone in there, it's not just me."  
  
The door opened again and Kitty stuck her head out, "Donna, honey? Jackie wants to see you, you can come in!"  
  
Donna got up and pushed Hyde out of the way to go in the room, "Ex_cuse_ me."  
  
~^~  
  
A scream sounded through the halls a few minutes later and Hyde jumped up just as Donna rushed out, "Hyde, get in there quick!"  
  
He hurried past her and into the room; Kitty came out behind him and took a seat, exhausted.  
  
"Mrs. Forman, aren't you staying in there?" Donna asked.  
  
"Oh, no, they don't want the room to be too crowded when the mother's in labor. Plus, I need a breather." She laughed and fanned herself with one of the discarded magazines.  
  
"Wow, Jackie's going to be a mom any second now…" Donna said, still disbelieving.   
  
"Again, poor kid." Eric said.  
  
Kelso tapped his watch, "Man, she better have it soon, it'll be the fifteenth in twenty minutes!"  
  
"Kelso, is that all you care about?" Donna asked.  
  
"No! I just, this is the first bet I actually won and a lot of money's riding on it." Kelso said.  
  
"Dumb luck." Fez said.  
  
"Thank you, Fez." Kelso smiled, "I wonder how she'll look."  
  
"Probably like Jackie." Donna said.  
  
"Wanna bet on it?" Kelso asked.  
  
"No, Kelso."  
  
~^~  
  
Hyde took a seat next to Jackie, who was currently screaming her lungs out and thrashing about on the bed. Usually, seeing Jackie in that much pain, discomfort, he'd freeze up and let someone else take over to help, knowing what to do wasn't really built in him. Now, though, he was on auto-drive, all his inhibitions to comfort her or what to say gone. He took her hand, making sure his was over hers, and squeezed it reassuringly. As the doctor and nurses surrounded them, all he saw was her. His Jackie, his strength, his, he caught her gaze and her eyes softened for a moment; he bent over her and kissed her forehead.   
  
He watched her face change from pain to relief in a matter of minutes, the sound of a baby crying stole him away as he finally looked over to see what Dr. Gillan was holding. Tiny and pink and screaming her lungs out just as her mother was minutes earlier. His mouth fell open at the sight, the nurse cutting the umbilical cord, the doctor taking her away a few feet to clean her, wrapping her in a pink blanket, carrying her back over to Jackie.   
  
His eyes floated back to Jackie to find the same expression he could only imagine was on his own face, she reached out for the baby in astonishment as the first smile all night came across her gorgeous face.   
Hyde couldn't believe what he was seeing, everything about this moment seemed to be a dream, something only his subconscious could conjure up. The feeling of extreme contentment flowed through his body like fine wine as Jackie held the reason of his existence close to her chest, staring down at her with eyes he'd only seen her give to him. Hyde slowly reached out to finger the gurgling baby's wrinkled cheek, the touch soft and desperate all at the same time. Her eyes were half shut but when they fluttered open he caught the blue in them, the little hair she had was raven and curly. Her nose as small as a button and lips as red as rubies, her tiny hand grasped awkwardly to Jackie's pinkie and he didn't think his heart could grow as big as it did then.  
  
He rested his elbows on the bed as he kept his fingers touching her arm and his other glued to Jackie's. Suddenly Jackie looked up at him, just staring, communicating through the precious moment they were sharing with a look. He got up on weak knees as she lifted Vera to him, he took her in his arms, astounded at how right it felt, how light she was and how much of him he really saw in her. He felt the walls he spent years building, crumble to the ground as she blinked up at him. She was perfect.  
  
~^~  
_She's got a fine sense of humor when I'm feeling low down  
And when I come to her when the sun goes down  
Take away my trouble, take away my grief  
Take away my heartache, in the night like a thief_  
~^~  
  
"What the hell's taking them so long?" Eric groaned, checking his watch. They've been sitting in the waiting room for the past half hour when Hyde went into the room, it was getting late and Fez and Kelso started betting on which nurse they could nail by the end of the night. Donna and Kitty cavorted away to discuss baby stuff and Red fell asleep.   
  
Kitty finally looked up at him, "Oh, Eric, you're right, let me check." She got up and disappeared into the room.  
  
Donna made her way back over to Eric and sat next to him on the plastic couch, she took his hand and laid her head on his shoulder.   
  
Kitty came back out, "Well, if that isn't just about the cutest baby I've ever seen!"  
  
"_Mom_?" Eric asked, offended.  
  
"Oh, honey, other than you, of course." She slapped Red's shoulder, "Wake up!"  
  
"Did they have it yet?" Red asked upon waking.  
  
"Yes, at…" She looked at her watch, "Precisely eleven fifty-eight." She laughed.  
  
Kelso jumped up, "BURN!" He laughed, "You all owe me…" He paused, "I left the sheet at home but be ready to pay up, boys! Big time."  
  
"So the baby's been here for over a half an hour and that dumbass didn't even have the decency to come out here and tell us?" Red asked, clearly put off.   
  
"Oh, I know, he probably fainted." Kelso nodded, "Happens all the time."  
  
"That's something you would do." Fez said.  
  
"He's probably getting to know Vera." Donna smiled.  
  
"Or dealing with Jackie." Eric cut in.  
  
Kitty got up, "Well they said we could come in for a few, so two at a time. Eric and Donna you kids in first."  
  
Getting up, Donna rolled her eyes, "Eric, he just became a father, he's _bonding_ with her."  
Eric pushed the door open, "He's _dealing_ with hellfire Jackie."  
  
"Shh!" Hyde hushed them as he cradled the baby in his arms, "Jackie's sleeping."  
  
"Aww!" Donna stood over Hyde and let Vera curl her hand around her finger.  
  
Eric stood back, "Donna. Watch for the claws."  
  
Hyde glared at him.  
  
"What?" Eric grinned and walked over to Hyde, "When can you guys bring her home?"  
  
"Tonight, but I'm going to go back first and get everything ready before they get back."  
  
"Hey, man, need any help? I'm pretty sure my mom won't let us go back to Madison so soon anyway." Eric said.  
  
"Nah, it's cool. I got it." Hyde responded half-heartedly, still staring down at Vera.  
  
"Sure?" Eric asked.  
  
"Yeah, Forman, Red moved everything down there yesterday, I can handle it."   
  
"Okay, we better get going anyway, Fez and Kelso are already having a fit they let us in first." Donna laughed; she wiggled her finger a little at the baby, "Bye Vera"  
  
Eric nodded, "See ya later man."  
  
Hyde barely looked up, "Yeah."  
  
~^~  
  
Pacing around the small room, he rearranged the pillows on the bed again, tucked the blanket in the crib tighter and cleaned for what have been the tenth time since coming home from the hospital. Hyde set the space heater to warm and cracked his knuckles nervously, when it was time to go…he had trouble letting the nurse take Vera. When Jackie gave her to him, and promptly fell asleep, he had held her for what seemed like forever and all too soon it was time to go.   
  
She needed changing and her footprints needed to be taken, as well as the horrid, blinding, photo for the birth certificate. He kissed her on the forehead before finally handing her over to the impatient nurse and looked back at Jackie. Sound asleep, exhausted, sweaty, and beautiful. He wanted to wake her and confirm of what just happened, they were both parents and he just held the one thing that he was sure of, the one thing that made sense. Instead, he brushed a stray hair from her face and laid a kiss on her lips, he drove Fez and Kelso home and went home to straighten things up.   
  
He looked at his watch again, it had only been two hours and there was another two to go until they got here. He insisted on picking them up but Red put the lid on that almost as soon as he mentioned it, he said he needed to stay at the house and clean and make sure the baby monitors weren't anywhere next to Kitty and his' room. He left the bedroom and took a seat on the couch, tapping his foot nervously.   
  
He felt restless, excited, anxious, and most of all, out of it ever since he got here. His arms felt empty, might have something to do with them actually being empty but…holding her that long, just sitting and looking at her, that was Zen. He figured he could lie down and wait, pacing and sitting was making him antsy and he hadn't got any sleep since they left for the hospital. He was out before his head hit the cushion.  
  
~^~  
  
Jackie's eyes opened as the bright fluorescent light flooded the room, she squinted up at Kitty.  
  
"Well, look who's awake! You've been asleep practically the whole day!" She laughed.  
  
Jackie rubbed her eyes and sat up, "Where's Vera Lynn?"  
  
"She's in the nursery, they're getting her now so you guys can pack up and come home." Kitty opened the small closet door and pulled out Jackie's duffel bag, "Steven went back earlier to clean up."  
  
"Steven? Clean? What?" She must have still been having side affects from the very helpful epidural, she thought she heard Kitty say Hyde was cleaning.  
  
"Yeah, Steven wanted to set everything up so the baby'll feel right at home. Oh, you should have seen him, they were there for hours. He wouldn't let go of that baby if we had pried them apart with a stick." She laughed and shook Jackie's clothes out, "Now I packed your pajamas here and once little Vera gets her carriage, we'll be on our way."  
  
Jackie let a big smile loose as she thought of Hyde not wanting to let go of the baby, she only got to hold her for a little while until she couldn't keep her eyelids open, let alone hold her up right. She did remember how beautiful she was though, she always thought newborn babies looked weird, their heads all malformed and they always had a purple tint to them.   
  
Not her baby, she was perfect. Her head round like it should be, her skin a little pink and her hair was the same color as Jackie's but with Hyde's curl. Her eyes were blue, she remembered that much. She noticed Hyde's eyes locked on her, he kept touching her and just staring until Jackie finally lifted her up to him to hold. She'll never forget the look on his face, how comfortable he was cradling her in his arms. The thought alone gave her pleasant dreams, now she'd get to see that look everyday. The door opened and Jackie practically bolted up right to see Vera again, the nurse came in with her, still wrapped in the fuzzy pink blanket. Jackie smiled and took her in her arms, admiring how gorgeous her baby was and how petite she already seemed. For a baby, that was.   
  
Her lips were as red as could be and she wondered if they put lipstick on her, she used the tip of her finger to check when the baby opened her mouth and sucked away. Jackie laughed and looked back at the smiling nurse, "She's hungry, you're going to have to breastfeed her."   
  
Jackie made a face, "Will it hurt?"  
  
"No, no, just make sure you're holding her head up."   
  
"Does it matter which…?"  
  
"Whichever one's more comfortable, when she's done you should burp her and then offer her the second breast."  
  
"Second breast what?" Hyde asked, coming in.  
  
"Steven!" Jackie beamed, "I'm going to breastfeed Vera."  
  
Hyde nodded, "Oh," He bent down and kissed her before moving the chair closer and plopping down.  
  
Jackie moved the baby up toward her breast and Vera latched on, sucking and drinking almost immediately. Jackie looked down at her curiously before meeting Hyde's gaze, "Wasn't Red supposed to pick me up?"  
  
"Hmm, what?" His eyes were locked on the baby, that had to be the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen. "Oh, yeah, I took off with his car before he could stop me." He grinned.  
  
Jackie giggled, "This sort of tickles," she looked down again at Vera and held her up a little more, "You remembered the car seat, right?"  
  
"Yeah, Red had it in the backseat already buckled in." He nodded toward the baby, "She enjoying my toys?"  
  
Jackie's eyes widened as she snapped her head toward the laughing nurse on the other side of the room, "Steven!"  
  
"What?" Hyde asked innocently, tilting his head closer for a better view, "She's really eager about it."  
  
"Yeah, well so are you."   
  
"I'm tellin' you all that sex helped, labor wasn't that long."   
  
"Wasn't _that_ **long**?"   
  
"Kitty says she was in the delivery room for sixteen hours with Forman."  
  
"I hope you stored those memories, 'cause it ain't happening again any time soon."  
  
Hyde frowned, "What?"  
  
"You heard me."  
  
"Jackie." Hyde crossed his arms, "You can't cut me off."  
  
"Oh, but Steven, I am," Jackie nodded, "Plus, Doctor's orders." She tickled the baby's cheek.  
  
"Oh come on, the doctor's orders don't count." Hyde crossed his arms in a huff.  
  
"Steven, seriously, Dr. Gillan said we have to wait six weeks."   
  
"Six _weeks_?" Hyde asked, aghast.   
  
"We can do other things." She lifted her eyes to him flirtatiously.  
  
He considered what she was saying and grinned, "…I like the sound of that."  
  
"Ahem," The nurse came back with a brown folder, "Sorry to interrupt but these are just a few packets on frequently asked breastfeeding questions and a couple of tips. Mrs. Forman will have the rest of the papers shortly." She smiled, "Good luck!"  
  
"Thanks," Jackie took the folder and handed it to Hyde as the nurse left. "Steven, see if it has how long I should let her stay here?"  
  
He rifled through the papers, "Hmm, 'It's normal for babies to take brief pauses in sucking lasting about ten to thirty seconds after which they will spontaneously begin to suck again. These brief pauses are not an indication that the baby is finished. Allow the baby to take these pauses. You will know your baby is finished with one breast when she comes off spontaneously or has an extended period, longer than about a minute, of no sucking.' Blah, blah, blah"  
  
"Well, she's been here for a few minutes. Poor baby was hungry; I'm going to ask Mrs. Forman if they feed the babies regularly here." She pouted.  
  
"Of course they do." Hyde leaned over to kiss her, he lingered a few seconds before getting up, "I'll be right back, gunna see when we could get out of here."  
  
"Okay, oh no, wait," Jackie lifted the baby up, "She let go, can you burp her while I run to the bathroom?"   
  
Hyde took her and gently patted her back, "Yeah, I got it." He grinned down at her; he couldn't get enough of this. He could hold her forever and even the thought of putting her down would be too soon.  
  
Jackie came back into the room fully dressed and a huge grin spread across her face, "Steven, guess what?"  
  
He looked up at her just as Vera let a small burp out, "Hmm?"  
  
"My jeans fit!" She squealed, "Oh, my god, they're even a little loose!" She tugged at the waistband for good measure.  
  
Hyde strolled over to her languidly and hooked his thumb through her belt loop, pulling her closer and kissing her thoroughly. "Mmhmm, taste the same too."   
  
She grinned and rested her head on his chest, staring at the little girl in his arms and her naked wrist, "Hey, do you have the bracelet?"  
  
Hyde dug in his pocket and pulled the tiny box out, "Here," He dropped it in her hand.  
  
She opened it excitedly and looped the silver band around the baby's wrist twice, "Now we can go."  
  
~^~  
_Yes I need her in the daytime  
Yes I need her in the night  
Yes I want to throw my arms around her  
Kiss her hug her kiss her hug her tight_  
~^~  
  
A week past and Vera Lynn became the center of Jackie and Hyde's universe; they had her sleep with them in the bed every night and hardly left her side when she was napping in her crib. Red wouldn't ever admit it, but when it came to Vera, he turned soft. He held her once and a hint of smile shadowed his face, Kitty would have ran and got the camera but she was out of flash bulbs, and not to mention, Red wouldn't appreciate it very much. She flashed her last film the day before and almost blinded Hyde near death when he woke up with Vera sleeping on his chest. Kitty said that was the sweetest thing she'd ever seen and she had to snap the camera three times just to be sure it took. It took Jackie this long to even let someone other than Hyde hold the baby for more than a minute, anyone who doubted Jackie's maternal instincts were in for a surprise.   
  
She became mother hen of the basement, the gang had to stay quiet if Vera was sleeping, and even when she was awake, she wouldn't let Kelso and Fez wrestle too close to their room. Kitty reassured them this was normal, and she'd simmer down in a couple of weeks. Hyde wasn't any better; he was the first to get up if the baby cried and the last to leave her side when they put her down for a nap. Jackie, of course, thought this was perfectly sweet. Red had no comment on the matter and Fez and Kelso were just happy to entertain Vera with all the new toys.   
  
Eric gave Donna her Valentine's gift a day late, a journal with the first page dated with when they'll be married and where (March twenty eighth, Pinciotti Backyard) much to her delight. The guys didn't mind Hyde not hanging around as much at first. Even in the circle, one important spot was more than likely always missing and when they hung at the Hub, two seats were always vacant. Eric pretended not to care, he knew it was normal for Hyde to want to spend time with Vera, he just didn't realize the only time he'd see his friend would be when Vera was sleeping or off with Jackie. And when he did hang out with them, he wasn't the same Hyde.   
  
He always looked distracted and he usually wouldn't stay long, he blamed it on Jackie wanting him back but they all knew he couldn't stay away from Vera too long. They'd tease him about it but he would shrug and not really put much up a fight, which got boring fast and they moved on to more interesting subjects, like Fez's new haircut and how the front wouldn't stay down properly.  
  
"Yeah, man it looks like a cow lick." Kelso laughed, taking a bite of his hot dog.  
  
"Shut up, yours looks like you cut it with a bowl on your head. You son of a bitch." Fez retorted.  
  
"Alright guys, as exciting as your Dorothy Hamill hair cuts are; I'm out."  
  
"Again." Kelso rolled his eyes.  
  
"Hey, shut up, I have to get my car waxed."  
  
"Third time this week?" Eric spoke up.  
  
"Forman, I washed it twice this week, a waxing is different." He demonstrated with his hands, "Makes it shiny."  
  
Fez laughed, "Have fun with Vera."  
  
Hyde nodded and left.  
  
"Man," Eric griped, "Yoko and baby Yoko are really straining our hang time."  
  
"Screw hang time, man, he's cutting low on circle time." Kelso shook his head, "He isn't much company at the Hub, but circle time?"  
  
"You guys are so selfish, Hyde is a _father_ now, and Vera is like a teeny tiny Jackie. Who is addictive. Like candy." Fez smiled.  
  
"Fez is right, we need a life." Eric sipped his soda.  
"Yeah, don't you have a wedding to plan?" Kelso laughed.  
  
Eric threw a napkin at him, "So do you."  
  
"But all I have to do is convince the bride to go with me to mine, you, you have to like…make arrangements and stuff."  
  
"Crap." Eric groaned.  
  
~^~  
  
"Oh, Steven, guess what?" Jackie asked, burping Vera as he came into the basement, "The doctor meant to say six days?" He ventured.  
  
She rolled her eyes, "Would you get over that?"   
She lifted Vera higher, "I just bought a book, '_Reading Your Baby's Cues_'" She smiled, "And, I didn't even have to read it to know what Vera wants. It's built in me!"  
  
Hyde took a seat next to her and started to play with Vera's hand, "So why'd you buy it?"  
  
"To make sure." Jackie leaned over to kiss him and continued rubbing Vera's back, "When she sticks her fist in her mouth it means she's hungry…or tired, I have to look into that more. She has this thing where she rubs her eyes and then puts it in her mouth so I don't know if she's tired or hungry or tired _and_ hungry…"  
  
"I don't she kind of looks around the room when she's hungry." Hyde said.  
  
"Oh my god! That's what the book said!" She squealed, "You're such a great father."  
  
"Okay, three movies playing at the drive-in tonight," Hyde started.  
  
"I'm not watching that murder one." Jackie cut in.  
  
"It's _Murder By Decree_, it's about Jack Ripper, come on."  
  
Jackie shrugged, "It's scary."  
  
"It isn't scary, Jackie."  
  
"That's what you said about _Dawn Of The Dead_." Jackie glared, "You said not to judge a movie by its cover or whatever and it was about zombies!"  
  
Hyde chuckled, "Heh."  
  
"It's not funny, Steven, I couldn't fall go to sleep by myself for days."  
  
"Why do you think I wanted you to watch it?" He smirked.  
  
"Ugh." She put a pacifier in Vera's mouth and started to rock her to sleep.   
  
"Okay, second movie is _Ice Castles_." Hyde said, disgusted.  
  
"Ooh!"  
  
"We're not seeing that."  
  
"Steven."  
  
"Nope, pretend it doesn't even exist, no way I'm watching some girly ice skating movie."  
  
Jackie sighed, "Well what's our third option?"  
"_Star Trek_" Hyde made a face.  
  
"Didn't we already see that?"  
  
"That was _Star Wars_." Hyde said, "Come on, pick Murder."  
  
"_Star Trek_ sounds interesting." Jackie cradled Vera closer and brushed her hair lightly with her fingertips, "She has my hair."  
  
Hyde looked down at her and took the baby's tiny hand, "Your hair isn't curly."  
  
"Well, I mean it's silky like my hair." Jackie preened.  
  
"I know what you're trying to do, you're trying to change the subject so I'll go see _Star Trek_."  
  
"Is it working?" Jackie batted her eyelashes at him and lifted Vera up to him for a kiss.  
  
Hyde groaned and dropped a light kiss on the baby's nose, "Damnit."  
  
~^~  
  
"Okay, the diaper bag's on that shelf in Steven's room, the bottle's in the fridge, microwave for twenty five seconds and if it isn't warm—"  
  
"Kitty." Red said annoyed, "I _have_ took care of babies before. Laurie, for example? Or Eric, for a better example?"  
  
Kitty laughed, "Well you were hardly active with them I wasn't even sure you were the father!"   
  
"Ha, ha," Red put his arms out for Vera, "Now gimmie her, she even looks annoyed at you."  
  
"Jackie and Hyde are due back from the movies at," She checked her watch, "Eleven. I'll be off my shift at eleven thirty, and so help me Red, if that baby doesn't look happy by the time I'm back…"  
  
"She'll be ecstatic once you leave." Red took her and started rocking her lightly.  
  
"Aw, damnit," Kitty searched through the kitchen drawers, "Where's my camera?"  
  
Red grinned, "I have no idea, Kitty. Haven't seen it since yesterday."  
  
Kitty shook her head, "Well, I have to find it soon, I'm missing all these cute moments!"  
  
Red tsked, "Ain't that a shame."  
  
"I'm going to be late," Kitty bent down and kissed Vera's forehead, "Say bye bye to Grandma!"  
  
Red picked Vera's hand up and waved, "Bye grandma basket case!"  
  
Kitty sighed and threw her coat on, "Don't forget to change her diaper!" She yelled, closing the door behind her.  
  
Red lifted Vera up to him, "Now, no pooping or I'll tell grandma Kitty where the camera is and you'll be blind before you're a year old."  
  
~^~  
_And when I'm returning from so far away  
She gives me some sweet lovin' brighten up my day  
Yes it makes me righteous, yes it makes me feel whole  
Yes it makes me mellow down in to my soul_


	8. Give Me A Kiss

**A/N**: Another thanks to **Sharon**, you're the best, thank you thank you thank you.   
  
  
_Baby just one sweet kiss,  
Honey from your sweet lips  
Baby just one sweet kiss,  
Honey from your sweet lips  
That's all I want, that's all I need  
I'm satisfied  
_  
  
~^~  
"Man. I can't believe Hyde went to see _Star Trek_ with Jackie! We were all supposed to go this weekend." Eric fell on to Donna's bed and started to rummage through her makeup box distractedly.  
  
"Eric, it's just a stupid movie. He can watch it again with you guys this weekend." Donna shrugged, "And none of those colors match your complexion." She laughed.  
  
He put the blush back in the box and closed the lid, "Eh, it's just some cheap knock off of _Star Wars_, I don't have to see it."   
  
"Aw, you're moping."  
  
"Am not."  
  
"Are too."  
  
"Okay, are we going to start this again?"  
  
Donna smiled, "You're just so easy."  
  
"Well is Jackie spending any more time with you?"  
  
"No…but I consider that a _good_ thing." She grinned, "Eric, just tell Hyde how you feel. Mention that you guys don't get to hang as much."  
  
""Tell Hyde how I _feel_', Donna? This isn't the _Brady Bunch_." Eric rolled his eyes, "Oh, great, now I sound pathetic."  
  
"No, you don't. You miss your friend, that's cute."   
  
"I swear, Donna, call me 'cute' one more time…"  
  
"Okay, okay," Donna raised her hands, "We're going to the basement tonight anyway, I want to see Vera." Donna paused in thought, "Who you don't hold very much…why is that?"  
  
"I'm lanky, Jackie's afraid she'll fall out of my arms." Eric shrugged.  
  
"Oh, that's such a lie."  
  
"Fine, I just…I'm not good with babies. They spit up on you and stare at you all… weird."  
  
Donna laughed, "Like last time when she puked all over Kelso's new cop uniform?"   
  
"She spit up on Red too, that was great." Eric snorted.  
  
"Okay," Donna sat next to him and took his hand, "Just try and play with her or something, Jackie and Hyde think you don't like her."  
  
"How could you tell?"  
  
"Jackie said, 'I don't think Eric likes her.'"  
  
Eric shrugged, "I like her, I know my parents _really_ like her."  
  
"Oh…" Donna nodded, "You're used to being the center of attention with them."  
  
"Donna, please, I was never the center of attention with them, now Laurie?"  
  
"You were too, your mom still cuts the crust off your sandwiches for crying out loud."  
  
"Now, Donna, tell me the truth." Eric started off.  
  
"Okay…"  
  
"They're making my old room the baby room, right?"  
  
Donna cracked up, "You're such goon," She stopped and shrugged, "And they were but Hyde insisted they were fine in the basement."  
  
"Ah ha! See?"  
  
Donna shook her head smiling, "See what?"  
  
"They love her more!"  
  
Donna covered her mouth to keep from laughing in his face.  
  
"You love her more!" He accused, pointing at her.  
  
Donna went into hysterics, "Eric! Stop, please, I can't breathe."  
  
"Oh, yeah, laugh it up lady! How would you like it if Bob got a new baby and kicked you out of your room?"  
  
"I don't live here anymore!" she continued laughing, "And it isn't their baby, it's Hyde's!"  
  
"Well, Hyde's practically the son they wished they had and now they have the grandkids first and by the time our kids come along, she'll be the favorite…"  
  
"You really put a lot of thought into this, haven't you?" She put her hand on his knee, "Eric, we're in college, we're getting married, we have our own lives, too. Your mom and dad have their jobs and now they have a little baby to play with, you're still their favorite."  
  
Eric half shrugged, "I guess you're right. I mean, Jackie and Hyde'll move out eventually and they'll be begging me to visit more again. Well, my mom will."   
  
"Of course I am," Donna grinned, leaning over to kiss him.  
  
~^~  
  
"Steven, would you put Vera down already? I want to show you how to do this." Jackie rolled her stretching mat out and put her hands on her hips impatiently. The doctor said this will help with calming down and not stressing over the baby too much, he didn't say anything about Hyde having to do them as well but she liked watching him squirm. And, he could really use the stretching, he does all these push ups but no stretching; he was bound to cramp up somewhere.   
  
Hyde hugged Vera closer to him, "I told you already, no way in hell I'm doing that."  
  
"It's like Zen, Steven, but with stretching. It's good for you."   
  
"It's good for _you_." Hyde corrected.  
  
"Okay, fine, just watch me, it's nothing." Jackie spread her legs out on the mat and started to touch her toes side to side.  
  
Hyde sat down on the recliner with Vera and enjoyed the view.  
  
Jackie laid on the mat and lifted her self up backwards, "See, it's not so hard."  
  
"I don't care whether it's hard or not, Jackie, I'm not doing that." He got up and laid Vera down in the crib, dropping to his knees he bent over Jackie and licked around her exposed belly button.  
  
She squealed and lost her balance, falling under him.  
  
"Steven!"   
  
"What?"  
  
She nudged him, "While you're down here, stretch."  
  
"No." He edged on top of her and slid his hand up her tank top, smoothing his hand out under her breast he gave a gentle squeeze, smirking as she arched closer toward him.  
  
She giggled, "Steven, come on we have to try this."  
  
"A bit busy over here, Princess." His face was under her shirt now and he nibbled lightly around the curve of her breast, licking the marks he made lightly.  
  
Jackie ran her fingers through his hair as chills ran through her body, how he could make her feel this way every time was beyond her, her body reacted to his touch like a wilting rose desperate for water, she couldn't get enough.   
  
His hands traveled down her thighs as he rolled them over, pulling her on top of him, she crawled up his chest and caught his lips with hers. Drawing his bottom lip out with her teeth slowly, she smirked into his mouth as she tipped her tongue out to lick his teasingly.   
  
She straddled his leg as she slithered up his body a little more, loving the way his breathing quickened, he lifted his head up to catch her lips in a full kiss.   
  
She felt him drag his nails up the back of her thigh, almost dipping closer to her inner thigh, then inching back toward her ass, she arched closer and deepened the kiss… as a screeching cry rang out above them. Jackie sighed and went limp in his arms, "She's hungry."  
  
Hyde lifted them up and put his hand out to help her stand, "We're finishing this later." He kissed her hungrily and smacked her ass as he left to take a cold shower. A very cold shower.   
  
Jackie picked Vera up and rocked her, "Shh, baby." She lifted her up to kiss her cheek, "You like interrupting mommy and daddy, don't you?"  
She sighed and sat on the recliner and dipped her shirt down for Vera to drink.  
  
"Hey," Eric pushed the door open and shouted, "Gah!" he quickly turned around with his hands over his eyes, "I didn't see anything, I didn't see anything!"   
  
Jackie lifted her receiving blanket up and rolled her eyes, "Can't you knock?"  
  
"It was open!"  
  
"Hyde's in the shower." She silently laughed at Eric's frigid stance, "It's okay, Eric, you can turn around now."  
  
"Are you done?" He asked, still turned.  
  
"No, but I'm covered."   
  
"I think I'll just wait out here," He pointed toward the basement and left quickly.  
  
Jackie shook her head amused, she held the baby closer as she tucked her legs under her and picked up a discarded _Vogue_ magazine. "Tsk," She flipped the page disappointedly, "Vera, never ever wear horizontal stripes. It even makes Jaclyn Smith look fat."   
  
Vera looked up at her blankly and Jackie laughed, brushing the baby's soft curls back tenderly and stroked her rosy cheek. She still couldn't believe she was hers, that she created something so beautiful. It really wasn't any surprise that she did, she was Jackie Burkhardt after all, but the fact that she brought something so gorgeous (with the help of Hyde, okay) into the world.   
  
In some ways it brought her back to her parents, specifically her mom…how could she leave her? Jackie looked into Vera's blue eyes and couldn't even comprehend the thought of ever leaving her side. She wondered if Hyde had the same thoughts she had at times and stopped herself, she was happy, he was definitely happy…and these thoughts really didn't help.   
  
She couldn't stop herself from wondering how things would be if her mother stayed, would Vera still be here? Would she have even gone through with if her parents were still here? Those questions reassured her that she was glad they left; in their place she gained the most beautiful gift she could ever think to get from the one person who loved her more than they ever could.   
  
"Hey babe, what's up with Forman?" Hyde came in wearing a towel and closed the door behind him; "He got all squeaky with me out there."  
  
She shrugged, "He came in while I was nursing Vera, made him jump a mile in the air." Vera let go and Jackie straightened herself up before cradling the baby again and reclining back for her to sleep across Jackie's chest, she lightly caressed her small back and smiled to herself as Hyde dropped his towel.   
  
"Ah," Hyde nodded in understanding and pulled on a pair of jeans, "And that shower didn't help."  
  
Jackie giggled, "Oh, really?"  
  
"Mmhmm." He smiled slowly and propped his hands on either side of the recliner to kiss her, she grabbed the back of his head to deepen it, tangling her fingers in his damp curls and leisurely letting her tongue caress the roof of his mouth enticing a growl from him, she pulled back, "Mmm," She smiled.  
  
"That didn't help either, sweets." He grinned and kissed her again before pushing himself up and grabbing a shirt from a drawer. "I have to help Forman with his crappy car, I'll be back in a few."   
  
He bent down to kiss Vera's cheek before winking at Jackie on his way out the door.  
  
~^~  
_Baby just one of your smiles  
You know makes it all worthwhile  
Baby just one of your smiles  
You know makes it all worthwhile  
_  
~^~  
  
"Okay, Forman, what's wrong with the piece of crap now?" Hyde poked the Vista Cruiser experimentally, "It isn't completely rusty yet."  
  
Red rolled out from under the car and coughed, "Yeah, this is a goner."  
  
Eric's jaw dropped, "What do you mean 'goner'?!"  
  
"I mean you killed the car, dumbass, it's dead."   
  
Red dusted his hands off on his jeans and laughed pointing at the car, "Gotta tell ya, thing lasted longer than I expected!"  
  
"Dad?" Eric walked around the car almost melancholy, "But…she can't be dead, I…didn't even get to say goodbye."  
  
Red rolled his eyes, "Oh cripes, you're not going to get all weird, are you?"  
  
Hyde shook his head, "I don't know, Red, Forman had this thing since…forever. He's prone to shed some pansy tears."  
  
"Hey, I'd like to see how you'd react if the Camino gave out." Eric huffed, sitting on top of the dead car.  
  
"Forman, Forman, Forman, The El Camino won't die while I'm behind the wheel. She's in tip top condition." Hyde nodded, "Get her checked every couple of weeks and I, unlike you, am not a car killer."  
  
"Man, I'm not a car killer!" Eric petted the dented hood; "I treated you like a Queen."  
  
Red shook his head and headed inside, "Well, you can't have ours." He slid the door close and pulled the curtains.  
  
"Oh, Donna's not going to like this." Eric hopped off the car, "How are we going to get back to Madison? Oh, man."  
  
"Chill, I have to go back to school too, you know. I'll just give you guys a lift, just don't ask how you'll be getting back."  
  
"Hyde, you start classes again on Monday, we have school tomorrow." Eric muttered, "We can't all be new dads with special permission slips."  
  
Hyde crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at Eric, "What?"  
  
"Nothin', man, my car just died, I'm mouthing off."  
  
"I don't get special permission slips, Forman, I got a baby."  
  
"I know; I don't know why I said that, I just don't know how I'm getting to school tomorrow."  
  
"How about I drive you tonight?" Hyde suggested.  
  
"You mean you're actually going to leave Vera alone for more than a few hours?"  
  
"It only takes two hours there and back, Forman." He grinned.  
  
"True."   
  
~^~  
Donna stood in back of Hyde as he continued to hog Vera all to himself, "Hyde, you've been holding her for an hour, I'm almost never here!"  
  
"What are you talking about? You're always here. You. Forman. Kelso. Fez. It never ends." He moved away from her with the baby defensively.  
  
Donna sighed and dropped on to the couch next to Eric, "Don't make me bring up when she'll be our age and datin—"  
  
"I can't hear you." Hyde shouted, escaping to his room and shutting the door behind him.  
  
"Okay, okay!" Donna yelled, laughing.  
  
Hyde came back out cautiously with Vera still in his arms, "Fine, you can hold her." He gave Vera to Donna and smirked, "Also, she needs a changing and I have to go pick Jackie up from the doctor's, later man." He rubbed Vera's cheek and left the basement before Donna could get a word out.  
  
"That dillhole." Donna muttered, lightly bouncing Vera on her knee, "Eric, can you get her diaper bag?"  
  
"Me? Diaper bag?" Eric scooted away, "I don't do diapers."  
  
"Er—" Vera suddenly burst out crying, a screeching pitch that rung throughout the house, Donna patted her back, "What the hell?" She looked around frantically and finally handed her over to Eric, "Here, hold her, I'll get it."  
  
Eric held Vera like a hot potato, "Uh…there, there" He carefully positioned her over his shoulder and patted her back, Vera grew quiet and he paused trying to look back at her.  
  
Rushing back into the room with the diaper bag, Donna froze at the sight, "Hey, she's stopped crying."  
  
"Quick, what's she doing back there? She isn't spitting up is she?" Eric strained his neck and tilted his head toward her.  
  
She set the bag down and sat next to them, "She's sleeping. Wait, hey, how come she stopped crying when you held her?"  
  
"Maybe it's these magic hands," He wiggled them at her teasingly, "She's actually pretty okay when she's asleep."   
  
Donna poked Vera's nose softly, "She's adorable."  
  
"You think I want to be sick?" Jackie pushed the door open with Hyde in tow.  
  
"Jackie, I'm not going to catch it if I kiss you." Hyde closed the door and crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at her.   
  
"Hey, she just fell asleep, her cries aren't that pleasant." Donna spoke up.   
  
Jackie pouted, "Dr. Gillab said I hab a cold when I went to pick up my vitamins." She sat down on the lawn chair, "I can't hold her until I get better. Which means I can't kiss you, Steven, we need someone to hold her."  
  
"I'm not going to catch it, Jackie, man, I never get sick." Hyde shrugged, "Forman had the chicken pox and I didn't even catch that, or when Fez got sick from eating that rotten candy. I just don't get sick."   
  
"I'm not going to take that chance." She looked longingly at Vera, "Oh, I wanna hold her."  
  
Eric transferred Vera to Hyde, "Hey, we're gonna get going, see ya later man."   
  
"Feel better, Jackie, and call if you need help with her, okay?" Donna touched the baby's hand.  
  
Jackie smiled, "Yeab, thanks." She glanced at Hyde cradling Vera and almost burst into tears, "This isn't fair."  
  
"You'll be fine within the week, Jackie, don't worry." Hyde brushed Vera's soft hair back and brushed his lips across her forehead.  
  
"Thib--" Jackie sneezed and rolled her eyes, "This sucks."   
  
"And just to let you know, I'm not _not_ going to kiss you until you're better." Hyde stated.  
  
"It isn't ub to you, Steven." Jackie sniffled, "I'm going to sleeb." She purposely walked around the couch to the room, "And no cuddling."  
  
Hyde rolled his eyes, "I don't cuddle."  
  
Jackie smirked and disappeared into their room.  
  
~^~  
_Baby just one sweet kiss  
Honey from your sweet lips  
Baby just one of your smiles  
You know makes it all worthwhile  
That's all I want, that's all I need  
I'm satisfied.  
_  
~^~  
  
Jackie nudged Hyde's arms off of her the third time that night, he kept trying to pull her into his chest, and she kept sneezing so there was no way she'd let him get that close. He crept a hand underneath her pillow trying to moving it in his direction but she sighed and finally got up, "Steven."  
  
He feigned sleep, which wasn't working considering what he needed to relax wasn't there. His hand found its way toward her waist again.   
  
"Steven!" Jackie crossed her arms.  
  
"Mmm?" Hyde mumbled into his pillow groggily.  
  
"I swear I'm going to sleep on the couch, moob over." She nearly kicked him off the bed to make her point.  
  
Hyde got up and glared, "Jackie. I am not going to catch your damn cold."  
  
She crawled over him, all the while trying to dodge his grabbing hands, landing on her feet she grabbed her pillow and hit him with it. "I'll be on the couch."  
  
His shoulders sagged and he threw his feet over the side of the bed warily, he'd let her fall asleep on the couch and just carry her back. He'd have to wait until she was in a deep sleep, which shouldn't be too long considering how exhausted she'd been lately. Between the baby and…the baby, she didn't have any time for herself or more importantly, in her opinion, for 'shopping'.   
  
She said now that she had her figure back she wanted to flaunt it in front of everyone to show them even after having a baby, she still had her body. He wouldn't have paid that much attention to another one of her shopping rants but _Fantasy Island_ was on commercial and she looked damn good talking about all the clothes she was going to wear. All the clothes that would barely cover her body, he couldn't help but listen. He yawned, trying to determine how long it had been by squinting at his watch in the dark, he half growled at her stubbornness.   
  
She made a good point, if he got sick he wouldn't be able to hold Vera either, but he doesn't get sick. It was true, she had a cold last year and they made out millions of times and not one sniffle followed. It was a gift. He threw the blankets off of him and got up, he stopped at the crib and peeked in at the sleeping baby, her tiny fists were curled and her head rested on one of them. He had to keep from touching her and waking her up, which he had the unfortunate experience of doing, Vera wailed, Jackie woke up, and he was on the couch.   
  
He shook his head and made his way out, spotting Jackie halfway off the couch and sniffling in her sleep. He carefully slid his arms under her and hefted her up, she squirmed a little and he froze, squeezing his eyes tight willing her to stay asleep. She laid her head on his chest and he started moving back to the room, dropping a kiss on her forehead before placing her back on their bed. He looked back at the digital clock and groaned, he had to get up for school in less than three hours. Crawling back in with Jackie, he locked his arms around her and buried his face in her hair, inhaling the sweet scent of strawberries and her _Baby Soft_ perfume, he slept.  
  
~^~  
_We could go walking down the lane  
Together hand in hand  
But if you think  
That it's gonna rain  
We'll stay at home  
And listen to the band_  
~^~  
  
Fez burst into the basement, "Okay, where is tiny Jackie? I have dum dums for her."  
  
Kelso stumbled in after him, "No, me!"  
  
Jackie sighed; since Hyde was at school and she was still sick, she didn't have anyone to hold Vera for her. Red helped her all morning since Kitty had work but she could tell he was getting antsy and she needed a nap so she called Kelso and Fez over. "Michael, what did I say about NO CANDIES for Vera?"  
  
"But it's a mini-lolipop!" Fez sat next to her on the couch and laid the candy out on the coffee table.  
  
Kelso sat in the lawn chair, "Yeah, it's practically made for a baby."  
  
Jackie crossed her arms, "Guys, she can't even have baby food yet, you're not giving her candy."  
  
"Fine." Fez shoved them in his pockets, "I'll keep these."  
  
"So, hey, there's this duck pond up near the academy and they look baby friendly." Kelso said.  
  
"She's not going near water with you, Michael."   
  
"Can I hold her then?" Kelso looked over at the bassinet.  
  
"Yeah, I guess…" Jackie suddenly stopped him, "Wait, let me see your hands."  
  
"They're clean!" Kelso showed her his palms.  
Inspecting them carefully, she pointed to an invisible mark on his hand, "What's that?"  
  
Kelso knitted his brows together and held his hand close to see what she was talking about, all of a sudden she pushed his hand into his face and giggled, "Steven's right, that is fun!"  
  
Kelso crossed his arms, "That wasn't funny."  
  
Fez chuckled, "Yes it was." He got up and picked Vera up, "She's so quiet."  
  
"Yeah, you sure she's your kid?" Kelso stuck his tongue out.  
  
Jackie rolled her eyes, "She's just tired."  
  
"Where's her bottle?" Kelso asked, "We could feed her while you sleep."  
  
"It's in the fridge, and remember, wake me up if anything happens." She directed.  
  
"Well, Jackie, you're going to have to be a little more specific than that." Kelso watched as Vera tightened her grip on his thumb.  
  
"If she has one of her crying fits, she likes to be walked around and the last time Fez was here she fell asleep when he sang one of his foreign songs. If she doesn't stop, wake me up." Yawning, she waved her forefinger at Vera and headed toward the bedroom, "Red's in the den, too."  
  
Fez ran up the stairs, "I'll get her bottle."  
  
Kelso followed slowly, "Yeah she's looking a little thin. If this keeps up I'll have to file a child welfare case."  
  
~^~  
  
Dropping his books on the couch, Hyde made his way to the bedroom straight for Vera. Finding an empty crib he turned to a sleeping Jackie and checked behind her, heart skipping a beat he shook her awake.  
  
"Where's Vera?" He kept his voice calm and steady.  
  
"Hmm?" Jackie rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly, "What?"  
  
"Where is Vera?" He repeated a little more forcefully.  
  
"Oh, she's with the guys upstairs." She blinked, "I think. What time is it?"  
  
"What do you mean you think?" Hyde checked his watch, "7:30"  
  
"They should be upstairs," She paused, realizing how serious he was being she smiled inwardly, "They wanted to take her on a road trip."  
  
Before she even got another word out Hyde was out the door and up the stairs, pushing the door open he spotted the back of Fez and Kelso's back, bent over the kitchen table.  
  
"Hey." Hyde said.  
  
Kelso turned around, "Oh hey man, how does this diaper go on again?" He held the diaper half hazardly off his finger and twirled it.   
  
Shaking his head, Hyde snatched the diaper off Kelso's finger and pushed him aside, Fez was making one of Vera's stuffed animals dance in front of her as she smiled and tried grabbing at it. He picked her bottom up and fastened the diaper on her, snapping her shirt back on and pulling up her footsies, he picked her up and kissed her chubby cheek softly.   
  
"Hyde's like super dad." Kelso commented, pushing himself up on the counter.  
  
Hyde hefted Vera higher on his shoulder, "Shut up."  
  
"She looks nothing like you." Fez stated simply, bluntly.  
  
Kelso snorted, "Are you kidding? She has his afro."  
  
"She doesn't have an afro, moron, it's called curly hair." Hyde poked at her strands curiously.   
  
"Oh. She has your nose." Fez nodded.  
  
Rolling his eyes, "Whatever, did you feed her?" Hyde checked her bottle in the fridge.  
  
"Yeah, she's a hungry little thing." Kelso tossed an apple hand to hand, "Also, we tried giving her a bath but Red took her away from us and did it himself, he said something about there being a certain way and then he called us a bunch of dumbasses and threw us out of the bathroom."   
  
Kelso shook his head, "That man needs an attitude adjustment."  
  
"Yes but she looked new and shiny when he was done." Fez took a dum dum out of his pocket, "I shall eat this since it isn't for babies."  
  
"You didn't try giving it to her did you?" Hyde asked.  
  
"No, it's mine." Fez stuck it in his mouth.  
  
~^~  
  
Jackie rolled over on the bed and groaned, this was the second time that night Vera was crying. She was lucky she got over that cold the day earlier, she felt bad about making Hyde get up all the time when he had school the next day. Picking up the screaming baby, she checked her diaper. Finding it dry, she offered Vera a pacifier to which the baby opened her mouth up for eagerly. She was just about to lay her down again when Vera spit the pacifier out and whimpered, Jackie sighed and took her over to the recliner. She heard the bed squeak as Hyde moved, he looked up at her blearily "Need any help?"  
  
"No, I'm okay, she just wants to be held." Vera grabbed at her diamond ring and started turning it around on her finger, "She likes my ring." Jackie laughed.  
  
Hyde positioned the pillows up next to him, "Come sit here," he patted the blanket down.  
  
Jackie padded over back to the bed with Vera and cuddled into Hyde's arm, "So Donna was talking about bridesmaid dresses the other day, at first she wanted everyone to match but I've convinced her to let me handle who would wear what. And as for tuxedos, well, those have to match, the girls need to stand out."   
  
Hyde was drifting in and out of sleep, "Mmhmm."  
  
"And I was thinking Vera could wear a pale purple and pink combination with a long train." Jackie looked down and noticed Vera sleeping with her fist still curled around her ring, "I was going to handle decorations too but Mrs. Forman insisted on Fez doing that, I mean, am I not capable of knowing what goes where? That's practically my specialty."  
  
Hyde murmured something and sunk lower into the cushions, letting his droop back on to the pillow.  
  
"So with all this talk about how much ribbons they'd need to tie the flowers down on each chair because of the crappy weather, I was thinking when we have our wedding in the summer, we'd have to make sure there isn't a cloud in the sky."   
She nudged Hyde awake, "Right?"  
  
"Yeah." He blinked and sat up a little more, "Wait, what?"  
  
"Our wedding, in July. There's hardly any rain in July, right?" Jackie untangled herself from his arms and carefully laid Vera back down in the crib.  
  
"I don't…"   
  
"Well, even if there is we'll just have one of those white tents I saw in _Modern Bride_, it'd go perfect with the white chairs and the flowers." She plopped back down with him and lifted his arm over her shoulders.  
  
"Jacki-"   
  
"Oh, and Vera could be the flower girl. Except maybe Donna could throw the petals and just hold her. I'd say Eric could be the ring barrier but he isn't good with rings, maybe Fez?"  
  
"Wait a second, here, Jackie, shouldn't we wait until we have our own place or something first?"   
  
"We'll be settled by summer, right?" yawning, she reached up and kissed him before scooting down under the covers, "Good."   
  
She was asleep before Hyde could get another word out.  
  
~^~  
_Baby just one sweet kiss  
Honey from your sweet lips  
Baby just one of your smiles  
You know makes it all worthwhile  
That's all I want, that's all I need  
I'm satisfied._


	9. Try For Sleep

**A/N**: I've been trying to make these chapters a little longer because I know these updates aren't coming in very fast. I don't have *as* much time as I used to but hopefully people are still reading, lol. Gigantic thanks to **Sharon**, endless supply of ideas. :)  
  
  
_It's four o'clock in the morning, and there's a new full moon  
Shining down through the trees  
But don't leave the room now, leave it in doubt  
Pretend not to know what I'm talking about  
I try, all night long  
I try, I want you to come along   
_  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~^~  
The intention of telling Jackie that they wouldn't be able to afford a place by summer and get married by July was forgotten with daybreak and with the rush to get to school and pick up Eric and Donna. Hyde didn't really want to discuss why they'd have to wait for their wedding with Jackie, but he didn't want her thinking it was going to take place in July when it wasn't, either.  
  
When he proposed (kind of), it wasn't because she was pregnant, or that he still felt guilty about the spring before, in all honesty he liked that kind of reassurance of her being there 'forever', however long that may be. It was still conforming, in his opinion, and if there were another way to do it without a federal document and signature (and the actual wedding, reception, guests, etc…) he would have probably proposed sooner. But, then again, Jackie _was_ Jackie, and she liked the tradition. With the added flair of style, trend, daisies, and small big eyed puppies (except not really with the puppies).   
  
None of which were incredibly cheap. The sun dipped beneath the mountains lazily, shining a stray of light into his window. He flipped the visor down and put the volume up on the radio as he tried to figure out how to avoid any more talk about the wedding they weren't having in July with the place they weren't buying in the summer.  
  
  
  
~^~  
  
  
"Ugh, do we have to look like nuns for this?" Laurie hitched her bridesmaid dress up and tried to tie the tail on her hip.  
  
  
"You're lucky you're even in the wedding, now hush." Jackie stuck a needle between her teeth as she tightened Laurie's dress around her waist, "Let the dress go."  
  
Laurie did as she was told and the skirt of the dress fell around her lightly, the split showing some leg and the rest curling around her frame nicely. "Wow, this actually looks decent."  
  
Jackie rolled her eyes, "Why thank you."  
  
"Can you just hem the bottom five or six inches? Or twelve?" Laurie smoothed the material down awkwardly.  
  
"Laurie, I know you aren't used to being fully clothed but this is _Donna's_ wedding, not yours."   
  
"Thank god." Laurie huffed, "I'm never getting married again."  
  
"Not with that attitude you're not." Jackie crossed her arms, "I don't think you'll be getting any offers any time soon anyway."  
  
"Okay, Jackie, I know Hyde proposed and all but your wedding isn't exactly around the corner, either. Hyde's not into that crap, he probably just did it because he knocked you up."  
  
"Nuh uh." Jackie shook her head and cocked an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Afraid so."  
  
"Yeah? Well, we're getting married in _July_, so how do you like that?"  
  
"I think your little girl fantasies are starting to get out of hand." Laurie smacked her lips together in the mirror after applying her lipstick and smiled, "I'm gonna go catch a movie with some friends before the ceremony, if anyone asks I'm…make something up and tell them I'll be back later."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure no one will ask." Jackie smiled and turned on her heel, half stomping out of the room and down the stairs. How dare Laurie doubt her wedding, she picked her long skirt up and quickened her pace to the basement, she'd just go…confirm it with Hyde, not that she had to, but she needed his opinion on where their honeymoon should be. He'd like that.  
  
"Steven…" She called, making her way down the last of steps; she was about to call him again when she saw the guys in the circle. She waved at the smoke with her hand, "Steven?"  
  
Hyde pulled her on to his lap and kissed her neck, giggling she nudged him off and tried to remember why she was there again.  
  
"Hey, you finished up there?" he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.  
  
"Mmhmm," She had to think of something quick to ask him with out really _asking_ him so she did what she did best, assume. "And I was thinking about the color coordination for our wedding in the summer—"  
  
"Whoa, Hyde, you actually set a date?" Eric asked, surprised.  
  
He lifted a brow, "No."  
  
Jackie whipped her head back at him, "What do you mean 'no'? We talked about this."  
  
"If I recall correctly, _you_ talked about it and then fell asleep right afterward not letting me get a word in edgewise."  
  
Jackie crossed her arms, "Steven, I did no such thing."  
  
"Yeah you did, and I was trying to tell you we couldn't get married this summer because we need to kind of move _out_ first and get our shit together."  
  
"And I was telling you that we could do that by summer."  
  
"Jackie, I'm not arguing with you here."  
  
"Well, it's either argue with me here now or nothing at all, because I'm not waiting forever." She glared.  
  
Eric coughed, "Well, yeah, I have a wedding to get ready for so…later, man." He hopped up and left.  
  
"Yeah, I gotta go find Shotzie. Mrs. Forman was looking for him earlier, he disappeared." Kelso patted Hyde on the back, "Good luck."  
  
Jackie and Hyde turned to Fez.  
  
Fez stared at them blankly, "What? I have nowhere to go."  
  
Hyde gave him a look.  
  
Fez sighed, "Fez never gets to stay." He trotted upstairs.  
  
Jackie detangled herself from Hyde's embrace and sat down on the couch in a huff.  
  
"Jackie, c'mon, I thought we agreed to stay here for a few months before we moved out." Hyde got up and sat next to her.  
  
She scooted in the opposite direction.  
  
"Why can't we just get married and _then_ move out?" Jackie asked.  
  
"Because if we do that you'll spend the money we're saving for the apartment on the wedding and then we'll be here for another year." Hyde reasoned.  
  
Jackie groaned, he knew her too well. She shrugged, "So let's move out."  
  
"It's not that easy, Jackie, I'm not making as much money at the hotel because of school. It's gonna take a while."   
  
"How long a while?"   
  
"I don't know."  
  
Her shoulders instantly sagged, "Fine."  
  
He looked at her warily, "Jackie, it's not that bad, we'll probably be okay by fall."  
  
She ignored him and examined her nails.  
  
"Jackie."  
  
She stood, "I have to go help Donna with her makeup, Vera's with Mrs. Forman upstairs." She turned to leave and he took her hand, pulling her back down.  
  
"You're not going to do that again." He said.  
  
"Do what, Steven?"  
  
"Leaving in a huff because you're not getting your way."   
  
"I told you, I have to do Donna's stupid makeup."  
  
"And I didn't shell out half my savings on that ring not to get married."  
  
"You save?"  
  
Hyde sighed. "Getting back to the point, you need to learn to have patience."  
  
"I have patience." Jackie pouted.  
  
He grinned and cupped her face, pulling her in for a kiss. She leaned in to him but her pout remained, he bit at her lips softly until she gave in and deepened it. He was about to run his hand through her hair when she suddenly pulled back, "Steven, no, I just did my hair."  
  
He crawled over her and let his fingers roam through her soft curls as his lips came closer to hers, "You can do it again."   
  
  
~^~  
  
_I feel it when you touch me, I'm already wet  
But how are you supposed to know what you get  
Wake me when it's over, but don't turn on the light  
Call me by name, that's alright I try, all night long,  
Ooh, I try to carry on_  
~^~  
  
  
Donna poked at the eye shadow in her hand, baffled. "Mrs. Forman?"  
  
Kitty was preoccupied changing Vera's diaper and glanced up, "Yes?"  
  
"Do I have to put this crap on my eyes?" She made a face at the pinkish powder.   
  
"Not if you don't want to…" Kitty lifted Vera up and rocked her back and forth gently, making faces at her.   
  
"Yes you do." Jackie said from the door, practically glowing with the grin spread across her face.   
Donna was just about to protest until she noticed Jackie still smiling, and apparently now staring off into space. "Jackie? Hello?"  
  
"Hmm, what?" Jackie blinked and suddenly walked over to her, snatching the eye shadow out of her grasp, "Here, close your eyes."   
  
Donna sighed and shut them, "So, why are you grinning like a maniac?"  
  
Jackie brushed the powder over her eyelids lightly, "Whatever are you talking about, Donna?"   
She swiped her thumb across Donna's eyelids, mixing the color in.  
  
"You're smiling like you just had…"   
  
Jackie suddenly shot her hand out and covered Donna's mouth, "Donna!"  
  
Kitty laughed from behind them, "Come on, I'm allowed to hear what goes on in my house from the other room but suddenly you're bashful?"   
  
Jackie gasped, "Mrs. Forman!" She shrugged, "Besides, nothing was going on. For five weeks to be exact." She muttered.   
  
"Oh, honey, honestly." Kitty laughed again and gave Vera her pacifier, "Okay, fine fine, I'll just bring this little girl downstairs to the man you aren't going to talk about as soon as I leave and decorate with Fez." She paused, "Wait, if nothing was going on…what was I drowning out with Dean Martin?"  
  
"Um…?" Jackie glanced at Donna quickly and back at Kitty, "Nothing?"  
  
"I don't think I want to know anyway," She let Jackie kiss Vera goodbye before leaving.  
  
Jackie stared at Kitty's retreating back in shock before frowning, "You're letting her decorate?"  
  
"Jackie, you're doing everyone's clothes and makeup, what are you going to do, everything?"   
  
Donna suddenly smirked, "Speaking of doing, what happened?"   
  
"Oh, Donna, you know what happened." Jackie sighed dreamily.  
  
"Wait, don't you guys need to wait a few weeks?" Donna asked.  
  
"Well, technically six weeks, but we didn't do _that_. There are other ways." She giggled.  
  
"How was it?" Donna laughed.  
  
"Oh." Jackie flopped on to the bed and turned to her, "Steven's very creative." She smiled and threw her arms out above her, "Almost makes up for waiting so freaking long to marry the man."  
  
"So I take it July is a no-go?" Donna tried to finish applying the eye shadow but Jackie jumped back up and took it from her, "Steven says if we aren't careful with our money the government's going to take advantage of us by giving us fake bills. And with all the bills we'll have we'll think they're real."   
  
She rolled her eyes, "And after he talked about that for an hour he said once we have a place, I could start planning. But I can't talk about it." She knitted her eyebrows together, "Well, if I can't talk about it when I'm planning, I'll just have to talk about planning before I actually start planning. It's a win-win situation, Donna." Jackie finished with her eyes and swiped some blush across her cheeks. "Okay, you're good. Just go easy on the mascara and try not to marinade in that perfume."  
  
"By the way, Jackie, your hair is kind of…um." Donna gestured to the messy ponytail Jackie hastily put it in before coming over.  
  
"I spent an hour straightening it, another hour curling it, and then another hour applying the right amount of hairspray and bobby pins." Jackie shook her head, "And he undoes it all within forty minutes. Well, four minutes if you're just counting the hair…the skirt--"  
  
"Wait, forty minutes?" Donna asked, agape.   
  
"Five weeks, Donna."   
  
~^~  
_And, how can you go through, how can you go through  
So many changes  
Oh, how can you go through, how can you go through  
So many changes  
It's a family affair; it's a family affair  
_  
~^~  
  
  
"Five weeks, Forman." Hyde lay the baby down in the bassinet and shook his head, "I don't know why I didn't think of doing this before."  
  
"Where are my shoes?" Eric asked, scanning the floor curiously.  
  
"Forman, you even listening to me, man?" Hyde fixed his tie and sat down in his chair.  
"Yeah, five weeks. Man, Donna's going to be pissed if I lost the shoes she got me. She says it gives me height."  
  
"It didn't."  
  
"I'm getting married in four hours." Eric said, "Four. What the hell is wrong with me?" He looked at Hyde, "What the hell is wrong with us?"  
  
"Hey, I won't be doing any of that ceremony crap until I'm good and ready." Hyde crossed his arms indignantly.   
  
"Yeah, okay." Eric flipped the TV on and sat down, "That's it, I can't find them, I'm not getting married."  
  
Hyde rolled his eyes and pulled the shoes from behind the couch and threw them at him. "Hyde! You don't hide the groom's shoes on his wedding day." Eric shoved them on his feet.  
  
"Calm down, Erica." Hyde checked his watch, "Well, Jackie's probably finished doing her hair again." He grinned, "See ya later man."  
  
"Wait, where are you going?"   
  
"What are you, my mother? Wait, no, she never asked me that." He paused, "I'll be back in time to watch you walk the plank, don't worry." He pointed to the bassinet, "She starts crying you know what to do."  
  
"Oh, man, she's not spitting up on my tux again."   
  
Hyde picked a bib up and flung it over to him, "That's why they invented these."  
  
"Hyde. I'm not watching your daughter on my wedding day so you can go do it with Jackie."   
  
Just then the door flew open and Jackie stepped in, hair back in a high ponytail and black curls cascading down. With a sly grin painted on her face, she twirled her dress around, "So? How do I look?"   
  
"Constipated." Eric automatically responded.  
  
"Like your hair hasn't been touched." Hyde took her hand and started to lead them back to the room, "We have to fix that."  
  
"Steven!" Jackie took her hand out of his and walked over to Eric, "Where's your tuxedo jacket? You have a wedding in," She took Hyde's wrist and glanced at his watch, "Three and a half hours."  
  
"My mom said I was going to get it dirty if I put it on." Eric shrugged, "And your baby already drooled on me."  
  
"Well you should have been prepared for that." She went to pick Vera up and stopped suddenly, "Steven?!" Her voice shrilled and she placed her hands on her hips.  
  
Hyde gave her a look, "What?"  
  
"Why is Vera wearing her dress already?" She picked the baby up and started to walk back to their room, Hyde following close behind.   
  
"You told me to get her dressed."   
  
"I told you to get her ready!" Jackie unzipped the pink material and lifted Vera out carefully.  
He gritted his teeth, "And the difference is?"  
  
"Getting _ready_ means check her diaper, get her under shirt on, and feed her! Not put the expensive dress on three hours early so she can drool on it!"  
  
Hyde sighed and plopped down onto the bed, "Wake me up when the wedding starts."  
  
"Oh, you are _not_ going to sleep, Steven." Jackie snapped Vera's undershirt on and lifted her to Hyde.  
  
He put his arms out to take her from his position on the bed and laid her across his chest, "Doesn't Kitty need help decorating or something?" The baby gurgled and grabbed a handful of his shirt in her tiny hand.  
  
Jackie crawled on the bed and rested her head on his chest near the baby's. "Fez is helping her."  
  
"Ah. So you need someone to order around while we wait." He smirked.  
  
"I was not ordering you around." She tickled Vera's cheek and smiled at her, "Her eyes are getting bluer."  
  
"Yeah, she's getting heavier too." He yawned, "You sure we can't go to sleep until it's time to watch Forman and Donna take the plunge?"  
  
"You'll be taking the same plunge soon enough." She thumbed her ring at him, "I have proof."  
  
"Damn." He muttered.  
  
"Steven!" She inched up so her face met his and dropped a wet kiss on his lips. "I guess we could take a little nap. Touch my hair and die."  
  
~^~  
_It's a family affair, it's a family affair, it's a family affair  
Try for sleep, why don't you try for sleep  
Why don't you try for sleep_  
~^~  
  
  
  
Kitty checked her watch again and smiled, trying to reassure Donna, "I'm sure she's just…"  
  
"I can't believe this, who heard of the maid of freakin' honor disappearing on her best friend's wedding day?!"  
  
"Oh, honey, I'm sure she didn't disappear."   
  
"Well, did you see her anywhere?" Donna paced the room, "Screw this, I'm going to see Eric, maybe Hyde knows where she is."  
  
"That's the thing, uh, we can't seem to find Steven either." Kitty laughed.  
  
"Oh, if they're having sex on MY wedding day, I'm kicking their ass!" Donna jumped up toward the door just as soon as Kelso popped in.  
  
"Hey, Big D, lookin' good." He scanned the room, "Did I hear you say you're kicking someone's ass?"  
  
"Yeah, Jackie and Hyde's if they don't show up within five minutes!" Donna crossed her arms, "Where's Eric?"  
  
"Oh, no no no, you can't see the groom before the wedding, Donna." Kelso nodded.  
  
"You mean he can't see me before the wedding."   
  
"No, I meant you really don't want to see him, he fell asleep on the couch."   
  
"He WHAT?"   
  
Kitty shook her head, "Oh dear."  
  
"Want me to go wake him up?" Kelso grinned, "I can pour some water on him….Oh! Or give him a wedgie, please Donna let me go wake him up."  
Kitty shook her head, "I'll go get him…and I'll get Red to find Jackie and Hyde, don't worry. Michael, you come with me."  
  
"Can I pour water on him?" He asked, following her out the door.  
  
"We'll see what he's wearing first."  
  
"Alright!"   
  
  
~^~  
_Try for sleep, why don't you try for sleep  
Why don't you try for sleep_  
~^~  
  
  
  
"Dumbass!" Red smacked Eric upside his head, waking him up.  
  
"Huh? What?" Eric blinked, looking up at Red.  
"Oh, this is priceless. Falling asleep twenty minutes before your own wedding." Red smacked him again.  
  
"Ow! Can you stop doing that? And I didn't fall asleep, I was…"   
  
"Resting your eyes?" Red shook his head at him, "Where's the other idiots we can't find?"  
  
"Who?" Eric started putting his shoes on and shrugged into his tuxedo jacket.  
  
"The loud one and Steven, where are they? And Vera for that matter?"  
  
"They're in their room. I think." Eric yawned and tried to slap himself awake, "Man, why am I so tired?"   
  
"I don't know but you better snap the hell out of it, the red head's having a fit."  
  
"Oh my god, Donna knows I fell asleep?"  
  
"Kelso told her." Red laughed, "Alright, come on, we have to stop your mother from sending the guests back."  
  
Eric groaned.  
  
  
~^~  
  
  
Vera's wail sent Jackie and Hyde half way off the bed, Hyde stopped her from falling off his chest and patted her back. "Shit, what time is it?"   
  
Jackie rubbed her eyes and checked the clock, "Oh my god, it's in ten minutes! Donna's going to kill me."  
  
Vera continued crying as Hyde put her over his shoulder and rocked her back and forth slowly, "You think they noticed?"  
  
Jackie rolled her eyes and took Vera from him, "Go tell them something while I get her dressed."   
  
"And what is that?" Hyde tightened his tie, "Tell them we fell asleep?"  
  
"No!" Jackie bit her lip, "We…um, couldn't find…"  
  
"Vera?"  
  
"Steven." She smacked his chest.  
  
He smirked, "You have a better excuse?"  
  
She sighed and shrugged, "Okay, fine, tell them we were just…getting dressed."  
  
"You know, if we did what I suggested, you would be far from sleeping."  
  
"You wouldn't."   
  
"You're right, you tend to talk afterward."  
  
"Funny." She smiled and kissed him, drawing her tongue across his lips leisurely.  
  
He slid his arms around her back and pulled her closer, folding his hands and keeping her in place as he tilted them backward to the bed. She let his tongue caress her and groaned as his hand found its way to her breast and thumbed around her nipple. Gasping, she pushed him onto the bed; she attacked his mouth and started to loosen his tie.   
  
  
"Oh, for goodness sakes." Kitty exclaimed, pushing the door open. "With the baby in the room? And do you kids know what time it is?"  
  
Jackie pulled back, "We weren't doing anything!"  
  
"Well, whatever you weren't doing, stop it, Donna needs her maid of honor upstairs before she kills Eric for falling asleep." Kitty gasped when she saw Vera, "Oh my god, look how gorgeous!"   
  
Hyde lifted Jackie off of him and straightened his shirt, "Yeah, I'm going to go…help Forman." He quickly kissed Jackie and moved past Kitty and out of the room.  
  
"Sweetie, where's her bow?" Kitty checked the crib again, in search for the pink ribbon.  
  
"Oh, I took it off. Yeah, Steven said it was too girly." Jackie smoothed the wrinkles in her satin gown and checked her reflection.  
  
Kitty waved a dismissive hand at her, "Steven doesn't know squat about how to dress a baby girl, where's that ribbon?"  
  
"He hid it." Jackie frowned, "I was going to put it back on but he said he put it some place high."  
  
"Well, then, lucky for you I have a whole box of ribbons upstairs!" Kitty laughed and picked Vera up, "A bow is just what she needs."  
  
  
~^~  
  
  
The Pinciotti backyard was littered with guests, family from Bob's side, family from the Forman's side, and even Midge. The bushes were trimmed with white petals, chairs arranged along the sides of the white aisle, and even a table top of refreshments were set up as well. Eric glanced out of the window nervously, "Did we invite that many people?"  
  
  
Hyde took a look outside, "Pinciotti's are a large bunch, Forman. Look at Bob."  
  
"I can't believe we all fell asleep, you sure Donna's still up there?"  
  
Hyde grinned, "Actually, I saw her climbing out the window earlier. And hey man, we fell asleep because that kid can't for the life of her, sleep throughout the night. We were exhausted."  
  
"Hyde. Now is not the time to joke. Besides, I think I saw about three bows in Vera's hair earlier." He laughed.  
  
"Damnit, I thought I hid all those damn bows from Jackie." Hyde took a can of soda out of the fridge, "What are we waiting for again?"  
  
"Pastor Dave." Eric nodded, "And the signal from Red for us to go out there and 'meet and greet'"  
  
"Um, I'm not meeting and greeting anyone, Forman. That's your job." He smiled, "I think I'll just stay in here until I have to stand out there. And then I'll just sit in here again."   
  
Eric looked out the window again, "Crap, he's motioning to me."   
  
"Bye bye." Hyde waved.  
  
Sighing, Eric threw the door open and plastered a fake smile on.  
  
  
  
~^~  
  
  
  
Slipping off her heels, Donna fell on to the couch. "We're married."  
  
Eric rubbed Vera's back, "Yeah." He paused, "Why are we in here while the reception is at your dad's house?"   
  
Donna shrugged, "Breather? God, those people never stop talking."  
  
Eric finally realized who he was holding, "Wait, why am I holding her?"  
  
"Um, 'cause Hyde handed her to you after the ceremony and told you he'd be right---hey!" Donna stood.   
  
"Where's Jackie?" Eric asked.  
  
"She said she'd be right back too." Donna snapped her fingers, "Those sneaky bastards."  
  
"I can't believe this, now we have to look for those dillholes before we go back to the reception. Half our family in there already thinks she's yours."   
  
They made their way around the house and Donna suddenly grinned, "Wow, we actually pulled that off. Of course it was almost ruined with you idiots falling asleep five minutes before the ceremony but…"  
  
"Hey, you try sleeping soundly the night before your wedding."   
  
"Um, coffee?"  
  
"Coffee makes me jittery."  
  
"Regardless, it was perfect. Our families hardly even fought." Donna nodded to Vera in his arms, "And she was asleep the whole time."  
  
"Yeah, so was Hyde." Eric laughed.  
  
"Hey, what are you guys doing? Red told me to find you and get you back to the party before he puts his foot both up your asses." Kelso steered them to the door.  
  
"No, we have to find Jackie and Hyde. They left Vera with us and now we can't find them." Donna said.  
  
"Yeah, Kelso, go make yourself useful and look in the basement for us, would you?"  
  
"Okay, Donna? Our honeymoon starts in T minus thirty minutes and we're not spending it looking for them. Let's speed it up little lady."  
  
"Speed up? What are we, in a race?" Donna asked, amused.  
  
"Donna. Wedding sex is meant to be just as good as make up sex. And, even farewell sex. And if I spend half the night looking for these idiots, nothing will happen."  
  
"Ah, that's okay. I can start without you." She grinned.  
  
"What, so you don't need me?"  
  
"Not so much, no."   
  
Eric scoffed, "Fine, then we won't do it."  
  
She smiled, "Fine."  
  
Shaking his head he faced Vera to him, "Your dad is so paying for this." He nodded, "Yeah, for the next twenty years? He'll hear me. Talking about your wedding."  
  
Donna laughed and opened the door to the kitchen, where Fez was currently stashing cans of beer in a bag.  
  
"Fez, what are you doing?" Eric asked.  
  
"Kelso said to get some drinks for next store."  
  
"Forget that, here, hold her." Eric transferred Vera to Fez's arms, "When Kelso finds Jackie and Hyde, tell them we'll be kicking their ass later."  
  
Fez bounced Vera gently, "Ooh, look at all the pretty bows." He went outside and headed for the party next door.  
  
Donna and Eric sat at the kitchen table, contemplative.  
  
"How about we start that honeymoon a half an hour early? Donna grinned.  
  
Eric was half way up the stairs before Donna followed, giving chase. Eric headed straight for his room, throwing the door open to see Jackie and Hyde making out on the bed.  
  
"Guys!" Eric yelled, "My bed!"  
  
Hyde lifted his head from Jackie's, "You moved out!"  
  
Eric sighed, "What the hell, man, you guys left Vera with me!"  
  
Donna scanned the room at the presents all wrapped differently, "Jackie, did you open my presents?"  
  
Eric suddenly gasped, "She opened our presents?!"  
  
Detangling her legs from Hyde, Jackie sat up, "Well, Donna, they weren't wrapped right! I had to make them pretty."  
  
Hyde nodded, "Oh, and we had to try one of them out…we'll buy you a new one." He smirked.  
  
"Ew!" Donna threw her hands up, "I can't believe you guys."  
  
Eric started to nod in agreement and then, "Wait, what did we _get_?"   
  
Jackie blinked innocently and shrugged.  
  
"Forman, man, it was just a regular household item. Don't worry about it." Hyde started to button his shirt up.  
  
"Ugh." Donna opened the door again, "So much for that."  
  
Eric gritted his teeth, "Wedding. Vera. Years to come, buddy!"  
  
Jackie pulled her hair back in a bun, "Where is Vera anyway?"  
  
"Fez has her." Donna said.  
  
"I can't believe you could be so irresponsible, Donna! Fez might be drunk." Jackie slid her heels back on and rushed for the door.  
  
"Hey, we stopped him from stealing all the beer." Eric cut in.  
  
  
~^~  
  
  
The Pinciotti home mostly cleared out to the backyard and Fez twirled around in the white gown, "And then the tall red head said, 'I do.'"   
  
"Yeah, we still don't know why, I mean, the groom isn't even my height." Kelso turned Vera's bouncy chair toward them, "And since you fell asleep, we thought we should demonstrate for you."  
  
"What the hell?" Donna came into the den followed closely by Eric, Hyde, and Jackie.  
  
"You guys drunk?" Hyde asked, going straight for Vera.   
  
"No!" Kelso yelled, "Well, Fez is tipsy, but I. Am….sobler."   
  
"Hey, weren't you supposed to be looking for Jackie and Hyde?" Eric asked.  
  
"Yes. But then that got boring. And we found this dress." Fez smiled.  
  
"And some more beer." Kelso said.  
  
"Kitty went to the ladies room, she said we couldn't pick the baby up." Fez sat on the couch, crossing his legs.  
  
Eric smiled evilly, "Wow, Vera really looks good in dresses. Can you imagine how beautiful she'll look on her wedding day, Jackie?"  
  
"Hey! Don't give her any ideas." Hyde patted her back.  
  
"Yeah, not when I'm next." She grinned, "Which is soon."   
  
Hyde held Vera up and loosened the bows in her hair, "Jackie, no more bows."  
  
Jackie crossed her arms, "Steven, little baby _girls_ wear bows. And they look good on her."  
  
"They're distracting." He got the last one out and brushed her hair back softly. Vera dropped her head on Hyde's shoulder and curled up against him shyly, "And she's tired, I'll see you guys later."   
He took Jackie's hand and led the way out.  
  
Eric yelled after them, "You're buying us a new one!"  
  
"New what?" Kitty asked, coming back into the room.  
  
"Uh." Donna shrugged, "They broke one of our presents."  
  
"Which one?" Kitty started cleaning around the den.  
  
"The one from Midge." Eric answered.  
  
"Well, that could hardly break! What—" Suddenly she frowned, "Nevermind."  
  
  
~^~  
  
  
Jackie pulled her negligee over her head and walked over to Hyde, "How does this look?"  
  
He grabbed her waist and sat her down on his lap, "Like that six week rule is about to be broken."   
  
"Well, I'm just giving you a preview."  
  
"Hmm, how about I give you a preview too?" He bucked his hips playfully.  
  
She turned to face him and plucked his sunglasses off, she held his face in her palm and kissed him hard. Groaning into her mouth, he picked her hips up and placed her leg over his waist, feeling his way up the back of her thigh and pulling her closer. "Steven, not yet…"  
  
"Jackie, you don't put something like that on and then kiss me the way you do and say 'not yet'" Hyde started to rain kisses down her neck, softly blowing up and down, "C'mon, it's been long enough."  
  
She smiled and leaned into him, "We can try something else."  
  
"We tried everything." Hyde wrapped his arms around her and leaned her back, kissing her chest, nudging the slinky material down and sucking a taut nipple into his mouth. She gasped and arched forward, drawing him closer and tightening her legs around him. "Mmm, Steven…" He continued to taste her, trailing his tongue up her chest and neck, stopping at her lips and sucking on them hungrily.   
  
She moaned and gyrated her hips against his, "We have to wait," She was breathless and her fingers found their way to his hair, tugging at them and massaging.  
  
"You're killing me here, Jacks." He continued to kiss at her lips.  
  
"I know, Steven, just a few more days…" She smiled and hugged him, pressing her scantily clad breasts against his bare chest in the process.   
"If I'm still alive." Hyde muttered.  
  
~^~  
  
"How the hell did it break?" Red grumbled at Kitty, "We had ours for fifteen years, no problem. Figures Eric manages to break his first wedding gift."  
  
"Well, it didn't so much break as…well, Steven and Jackie were, er, curious." Kitty smiled tightly.  
  
"Eugh." Red made a face at the thought. "Damn kids."  
  
Kitty nodded, "Mmhmm."  
  
Red looked at the item on the counter, "I'll never look at that the same way again."  
  
"Yeah." Kitty picked at lint on her sweater.  
  
Suddenly Red jumped up and grabbed it, running up stairs. Kitty wasn't far behind.   
  
~^~  
_I'm pushin' the river, ready to roll  
Oh, I can feel it in my soul  
Give me the high light and leave out the rest  
You know what they told me  
They said the west is best  
I try, all night long, I try to get along with  
Will try for sleep, ooh try for sleep  
Won't you, oh won't you come along, come along  
Try for sleep, try for sleep_


	10. Tupelo Honey

**A/N**: **undefchem**, you're so incredibly generous. Thank you so for the much needed help. =) And I'd like to thank **Nicole** for making a gorgeous fanart for _Crazy Love_, you don't know how much I appreciated that.  Next chapter will probably be last, thanks again for everyone sticking with me the last few months. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I have.   
  
  
  
  
  
_You can take all the tea in china  
Put it in a big brown bag for me  
Sail right around the seven oceans  
Drop it straight into the deep blue sea  
_  
  
~^~  
For the next week Hyde tried keeping a distance from Jackie, his patience wearing thin and she was being shameless with what she chose to wear to bed. He stayed in the kitchen most of the time, feigning interest in his homework and watching Vera in the living room upstairs instead of the basement. Usually, he could handle himself. He lasted five and a half weeks with the limits given, kissing, touching, finding creative ways for relief. On Eric and Donna's wedding night though, when she had the negligee on and instead of cuddling up to his side to go to sleep, she made herself comfortable on the other side of the bed. Sheets thrown off her body, legs spread, fingers dancing across places he hadn't had the pleasure of touching since that afternoon, but that night was different, he was frozen in his spot.  
  
She was relieving herself. Right next to him. And he couldn't do a damn thing about it. Well, that was a lie, he could, it was just the hottest thing he ever had the pleasure of being in the same room with and he wanted to cherish the memory. Finally, on the day he would have been able to show her what she was missing, Vera had a crying fit and the whole gang decided the basement was the It Spot again. All through the week, everyone had some sort of freaking radar that alerted them to flock around him and Jackie every time they were alone. He was about to change all the locks and call it a day but decided Red and Kitty wouldn't appreciate that. As a last resort, he made plans with Roy to get him one of the better rooms at the Holiday Hotel, he was desperate and Roy was cheap. It was perfect. Hyde hanged the phone up, scribbled on the notepad and shoved it into his pocket as Red entered.  
  
"You look guilty, what'd you do?" Red asked, immediately suspicious.  
  
"Uh," Hyde looked around the kitchen, "I…drank your beer?"  
  
Red checked the fridge, "There's one left."  
  
"Yeah, I dropped that one." He grinned.  
  
Red slammed the fridge door, "Well, you're going over to Bob's now and stealing his."  
  
"Okay." Hyde grabbed his jacket and went for the door, "Oh, and Jackie's doctor just called, she has a check-up appointment on Sunday. And Roy called me in for work too so we have no one to watch Vera."  
  
"And?" Red raised his eyebrows.  
  
"And we have no one to watch Vera." Hyde repeated.  
  
Red sighed, "Fine, I'll let Vera watch the Packers get slaughtered with me."  
  
"Thanks, Red."  
  
"She spits up on me again, you're doing my laundry." Red added.  
  
~^~  
  
Hyde stared at the bottle slowly rotating round in the microwave, the Formans' got one for Christmas and he was still curious about how it worked. The manual said it used radiation, and one thing he knew about radiation is that the government had a whole secret lab testing animals with radiation to see how long they would live. Hyde didn't think it was such a smart idea to use that to warm up _food_.   
  
He pressed 'stop' on the humming machine and took the bottle out quickly, now that he thought about it, he didn't want Vera's food warming up in there, either. Unscrewing the top, he was about to pour the poisoned liquid in the sink when Jackie came in with Vera, "Steven, what's taking you so long?"  
  
He contemplated his answer, he looked at the bottle with the defected milk in it and shrugged, "The milk looks weird, I was just going to change it."  
  
"There's nothing wrong with the milk, Steven, it's breast milk." Jackie patted Vera's curls back and took the bottle from him, "And if you think the microwave did something to it again, I'm going to kick you."   
  
"Jackie, I'm tellin' you, a whole plate of food warming up in less than two minutes? Something ain't right."   
  
She rolled her eyes and turned back, heading for the basement. "Steven, don't you think we'd all be dead by now if the radiation was poisonous?"  
  
"That's the thing, radiation works slow, you think you're fine, and then bam. Dead." He followed her down the stairs and plopped into his seat, "The government knows America's getting lazier and lazier, so what better way but to give us a machine the cooks our food for us in just a few minutes?"  
  
"Ugh." Jackie tilted the bottle for Vera to drink and crossed her legs, "What do you think the Hub uses to cook your burgers?"  
  
"They better be using the damn grill." Hyde suddenly checked his watch, "Oh yeah, I kind of told Red you had a doctor's appointment in an hour so if he asks, you're going for a check-up." He nodded, "And I have work."  
  
"But I don't have an appointment. And you have work?"   
  
"No, that's what we're telling him. We're going to the hotel, though."  
  
Jackie blinked at him, "Because?"  
  
"Because it's officially been six weeks seven days ago and damn it all to hell if we're going to be interrupted again."   
  
"Aw, Steven." She leaned over and kissed him, "Wait, what about Vera?"  
  
"Red's going to take care of her. I didn't tell him when we'd be back so we have the whole day."  
  
"Presumptuous aren't we?" She grinned.  
  
"So easy you forget."   
  
"Ah, yes, you're going to show me though, right?" Her eyes twinkled with desire and he mentally checked off the things he would be showing her later.  
  
"Damn straight." He lounged further in his seat confidently as Jackie gave him one of her flirty smiles and turned her attention back to the hungry baby. She turned Vera over to him and laid a quick peck on his lips, "I'll go get ready."  
  
~^~  
_She's as sweet as tupelo honey  
She's an angel of the first degree  
She's as sweet as tupelo honey  
Just like honey from the bee  
_  
~^~  
  
  
  
"Why won't this kid quit crying?" Red rubbed Vera's back as she wailed, flailing her arms and trying to kick her way out of Red's arms. Kitty had just came home from work and he tried passing the screaming baby over to her care.  
  
"Uh uh, you know how to handle her when she's like that, I need a shower. Where's Jackie and Steven?" She swung her coat over the couch arm and crossed her arms.  
  
"Steven has work and Jackie has another damned appointment," He gave Vera a pacifier, which she promptly spit out and continued her screeching, "And she should have been back by now, what's that doctor's number?"  
  
"Oh, I have it on the note pad in the kitchen somewhere," Kitty hurried in to get it.  
  
Red bounced the baby on his knee, trying to calm her down while dangling one of her toys in front of her. She paused and looked at it before her face crumbled and she started to cry again. Red sighed and dropped his head on the back of the couch.  
  
"Well, that's strange. Dr. Gillan said he didn't have an appointment scheduled with Jackie today, are you sure she said that?" Kitty sat on the arm of the couch and brushed Vera's hair back.  
  
"Those scheming commies." Red muttered, "I knew Steven was up to something, he seemed too happy about going to work."  
  
"Let's not jump to conclusions, Red, maybe Steven's really at work." Kitty shook her head, "Oh, who am I kidding?" She sighed and went for the phone again, Red and a crying Vera in tow.  
  
Dropping the phone back on its handle, Kitty rolled her eyes. "According to Roy, Steven's boss, Steven isn't working but he and his 'lady friend' are occupying one of the rooms."  
  
"That lady friend better be Jackie, you remember what happened last year." Red tsked.  
  
"Hey there!" Bob came in through the sliding door, "Aw, Red, you're making her cry again." He reached out to hold Vera.  
  
"Here, you try and shut her up." Red handed her over and she immediately stopped crying.  
  
Red heaved a sigh, "Figures."  
  
"Babies like me." Bob smiled and rocked her to sleep, "Where's her parents?"  
  
"They're grounded when they come back." Red sat at the table and crossed his arms.  
  
"Red, we can't ground them." Kitty said.  
  
"And why the hell not? They're living under our roof with a baby, they need to learn how to take care of their own responsibilities."   
  
"You're right, and I think they have. I mean; Steven's at work most of the time, Jackie's almost always exhausted, a little break should do them well." Kitty checked her watch, "And if they aren't back here within the hour, you can ground them." She laughed.  
  
  
~^~  
_You can't stop us on the road to freedom  
You can't keep us 'cause our eyes can see  
Men with insight, men in granite  
Knights in armor bent on chivalry  
_  
~^~  
  
  
  
  
Jackie twirled in the mirror as she fit the teddy against her, she wondered if she should wear it or just wait for Hyde with what she was already wearing. Nothing. She smirked at her reflection and threw the silky material on the chair. The full-length mirror was brightened with the fluorescent glow from the hotel bathroom and she made a face at it, it lit up places she didn't have time to scrutinize at home. She spotted a faint red line on the bottom of her stomach and gasped, was that a stretch mark? She twisted again and licked her finger and rubbed it, hoping it would come off. No such luck, she was only making it redder and more visible.   
  
She groaned and snatched a magazine off the nightstand to fan it before Hyde came back. He was downstairs making sure their room was free with Roy and the longer he took, the more she noticed how much her body changed. Sure she shed most of the baby pounds and her stomach was mostly back to normal but she had more meat on her thighs and butt and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. She brushed her hair for the hundredth time and rubbed some coconut-scented lotion over her legs and arms again. She sighed and laid down on the bed to wait, for someone who couldn't wait to get in her bed, he was certainly taking his time. Stretching out she closed her eyes and sooner or later, drifted off to sleep.   
  
  
~^~  
_She's as sweet as tupelo honey  
She's an angel of the first degree  
She's as sweet as tupelo honey  
Just like honey from the bee  
_  
~^~  
  
  
  
Hyde checked his watch again as Roy ran through the list Hyde made for him, he didn't want any interruptions and wanted to make sure room service didn't come or any of the other help.   
  
"Does that include food service?" Roy asked, waving the paper at Hyde.  
  
"It includes everything." Hyde griped.  
  
"And if there's a fire?"   
  
"Won't the fire alarm go off?"   
  
"That's true. How about a fire drill?"  
  
"Roy, we haven't had a fire drill in a year. The only, and I mean the only, interruption I want is if the Formans' call about Vera. That's it."   
  
"How about if the Formans' just call?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Okay, I got it."   
  
"Roy, I'm serious."  
  
"I got it. No interruptions. Not even for a fire."   
  
Hyde rolled his eyes and took the key, which was really a slide-card, from Roy and made his way up the stairs. The elevators took too long and he wasn't really ready for getting stuck anywhere when a lingerie clad Jackie was waiting for him. He got to their room number and slid the card in, nudging the door open he looked around the dimly lit room to find Jackie stretched out on the bed naked. And sleeping. Groaning, he closed the door quietly and locked it, slipping out of his t-shirt and jeans, he kicked his boots off and crawled onto the bed.   
  
She'd been exhausted ever since Vera and he mostly respected that, but this was their time and a seven-week wait was just un-called for. He moved her hair over and licked lightly along her earlobe and down her neck, stopping to suck and nibble as she stirred awake. He caught her lips quirk in a smile and he made his way down further, flattening his tongue against her taut nipple. Her body arched up to him and he rolled his palm around the other as she sighed his name. He moved backward and kissed down her stomach, licking her bellybutton before slipping his hand between her legs, spreading them and moving one behind his shoulder.  
  
He circled his tongue around her, enjoying how she panted softly and grasped at his hair, he grinned and pushed his tongue further into her slick heat. Her scent overtook him and he buried himself between her thighs, making long strokes with his tongue, eliciting strangled cries from Jackie and making her heel dig into his back. Her body tensed and stiffened against him, waiting for him to continue. "Now," She moaned, "Please…"  
  
Hyde flicked his tongue over her clit, making her hips buck off the bed and throw her head back at the sudden contact. He crawled up to her and captured her mouth with his, she groaned into his mouth and bit down on his tongue to send her message across. Reaching down between her legs again, he moved one up and held the back of her thigh firmly as he thrust into her slowly. He wanted to relish the feel of her, the wait building up tension he never knew, her hands roamed his back languidly, her nails dragged further down and sent shocks through him.  
  
He felt the vibration of her moans against his neck and her clench around him tighter, his breath came harder as she stretched her legs out and hooked one across his hip and rotated against him deliberately. She trailed wet kisses up his jaw line and sighed into his ear, "Steven," Her voice cracked and she rocked her hips against his impatiently, he nudged her chin up and kissed her before he pulled out and thrust back into her harder, grinding and repeating the action, he slid his finger over her clit and rubbed his thumb around it softly as they moved against each other faster and more erratic by the second. Jackie panted and moaned his name, her head thrown back and her mouth open as a silent scream escaped from her parched throat.   
  
Hyde bit down on her shoulder as he tightened and felt her heated walls clench around him, milking him and sucking him into her further. He found her mouth and kissed her thoroughly, savoring her taste and the moment. His voice was hoarse and scratchy and he was still short of air as he whispered against her parted lips, "'Love you."   
She smiled and pulled him in for another kiss.   
  
~^~  
_You can't stop us on the road to freedom  
You can't stop us 'cause our eyes can see  
Men with insight, men in granite  
Knights in armor intent on chivalry  
_  
~^~  
  
  
  
Kitty took another look at the ticking clock as it struck twelve, "Yep, they're grounded." She hefted Vera higher on her shoulder and made baby faces at her, "Isn't that right, Vera? Are mommy and daddy grounded? Yes they are." She kissed her chubby cheek and laid her down in the bassinet in her and Red's room, "Don't worry, this is just like their room. Just warmer."  
  
"Kitty, if she cries I'm extending their punishment." Red turned down the sheets and pointed at the wide-eyed baby.  
  
"I don't even know how to punish them now." Kitty shook her head.  
  
"I'll take care of that." He patted his pillow, "They will regret this."   
  
Kitty laughed and shut the light off, "I'm sure they already will once they know we know."  
  
~^~  
  
Unlocking the door to the basement, Hyde and Jackie quietly snuck in. It was past midnight and they weren't sure on the whole what and where of their story yet. Flicking the light on, Jackie quickly scanned the room, "Where do you think they put Vera?"   
  
"She's probably in the room with them." Hyde said, shaking off his coat.  
  
"I'll go get her." She made a dash for the stairs and Hyde pulled her back, "Jackie, they aren't deep sleepers, I don't feel like explaining why we left our daughter with them while we shacked up in a hotel right now."  
  
"Shacked up?" She asked, eyebrow lifted.  
  
"You know what I mean." He took her hand again, "Let's just go to sleep."  
  
"But I miss her." Jackie pouted.  
  
"I do too, we'll see her in the morning, come on." Hyde slid his arm around her waist and steered her toward their bedroom. He missed Vera more than he cared to admit, this was the longest they've gone without seeing her, let alone holding her. He reconsidered letting Jackie get her from the Forman's bedroom but decided a half peaceful sleep in their own bed would be nice too.   
  
She sighed and let him lead her toward the bed, "First thing in the morning, I'm getting her."  
  
"I'm sure they'll bring her down anyway," He held the blanket up for her as she tucked herself under his arm and kissed him goodnight.   
  
"Steven?" She blinked up at him and scooted a little closer, bringing his face to hers.  
  
He raised his eyebrows questioningly and she smiled, "Thank you."  
  
Hyde leaned over her and kissed her, "Anytime."  
  
She laughed, "I'm sure."  
  
~^~  
_She's as sweet as tupelo honey  
She's an angel of the first degree  
She's as sweet as tupelo honey  
Just like honey from the bee  
_  
~^~  
  
  
  
"Steven, what are you doing home so early?" Jackie had just come back from Donna's apartment, hiding a couple of wedding magazines behind her as she came through the door and hoping to stash them away before Hyde came home. To her surprise, he was on the bed reading aloud, Vera next to him, with a set of books. Colorful books.   
  
"I got out early." He tried to slide the books away from Jackie's line of vision but she was too fast. Picking one up, she scrunched up her nose, "Steven, these are children's books."  
  
"Yeah?" He didn't think he'd have to deal with telling Jackie just yet but Kitty talked so much about how her and Red had done…things, in the same room when Eric and Laurie were babies that he wanted to fill Vera's head with other information lest she turn out like Laurie. No way in hell was that going to happen. He didn't exactly know how he came to that reasoning, but there was a bookstore at the University and he had to match up some textbooks he got illegally downtown with the real ones and sooner or later came across the kids' section. He didn't have time to really check the books out; he just grabbed a few and paid for them so no one would recognize him.  
  
It's only then that he got home that he realized he just spent some thirty dollars on books Vera can't even read yet. And that they were Walt Disney books. When Vera woke up crying, Jackie wasn't home to feed her properly so he had to use the bottle, which she drained in a matter of minutes and still seemed fussy. He propped her up on a couple of pillows with him and picked one of the books up and started to read, she blinked up at him calmly and he continued. To hell with going pansy, he found a way to shut another girl with Burkhardt blood up and it was worth it. He looked up at Jackie, realization dawned on her face and he prepared himself for her attack.  
  
"Aww!" Jackie's smile could light up a Christmas tree and she pounced on him, kissing him with a loud smack. "You're reading to Vera!"   
  
He sighed. "Just to drown out any other noises she might have heard in the crib. Nothing else."  
  
She grinned and laid another kiss on him, "You're so sweet."  
  
Hyde groaned and threw the book on the other side of the bed and pulled her in for another kiss, a set of glossy magazines catching his eye by the door and he paused, "What are those?"  
  
Jackie's eyes were still closed, awaiting his kiss when he stopped. "What are what?"  
  
Hyde bent over the bed and read it upside down, "edirB nredoM" He tilted his head, "Jackie, those are wedding magazines."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Why are you reading those now?"   
  
"Donna had some left over, I mean, some of them are out of date and blah, but if I combine some of their decorations with what I already had in mind—"  
  
"Yes, but why are you reading them _now_?"  
  
"I need to plan, Steven." Jackie shrugged, "I'll just spend spring and summer setting things up mentally if we have to wait."  
  
"Spring and summer?"   
  
"Yeah. Oh, and while I was at Donna's she suggested getting a part-time job at UW since they have openings for cashiers. I was about to tell her no, you know, because of Vera, but she said there's a daycare center right next to it and I can check on her anytime." Her words were rushed out and her eyes scanned his face for any sign of emotion. She pressed her lips together and forced a smile, "What do you think?"  
  
"Jackie, we're not putting Vera in daycare."   
  
"Okay…Red and Kitty could watch her for a couple of hours…?"  
  
Hyde took a deep breath, "Red and Kitty can't take care of Vera all the time, Jackie. I have school and work, I…"  
"Oh, so you go to work _and_ school but I get to spend all my time at home?"  
  
"That's not what I meant, Jackie, what the hell, I thought you wanted to stay with Vera?"  
  
"I do! I just, Steven, I'm here all day, everyday. And if I get a job too, we can maybe get an apartment sooner…"  
  
"Well, we would have had been closer to it if you didn't shop so damn much."   
  
She gasped, "I shop for necessities now."   
  
Hyde leaned over and plucked a blouse from one of her drawers, "Necessary?"   
  
"None of my old clothes fit right and I can't wear my maternity clothes! That's not fair, let's see you give birth and still maintain your perfect figure. Hmph."   
  
Hyde shook his head; she still managed to go fishing for compliments even when they were arguing. "Jackie, you're fine, and you can get the same clothes for half the price."  
  
"Half the price, Steven? _Half_ the _price_?!" She stood up, running a hand through her hair, "I am not a 'half the price' girl, Steven!" She huffed and sat down, picking up one of the discarded children books to distract herself from his outrage. Turning to the back to read the summary, she caught the price at the bottom and gasped. "Steven!"  
  
Hyde groaned and fell back on to the bed, "What now?"  
  
"I so doubt you needed to spend this much on a kids book." She raised an eyebrow mockingly.  
  
"Hey, that's different." He didn't want to say it was 'educational' because what the hell's that about? Screw education. Damn formalities. "It's to clear her head of anything she might have heard when she was in there," He poked her stomach, "You said that she could hear if we talked to her, right? I don't want none of that getting in her head."  
  
She looked deep in thought for a few minutes before she nodded, "Okay, fine, it's different." She dropped her head on to his shoulder, "You fed her, right?"  
  
"Damn, knew I was forgetting something." He smirked.  
  
Rolling her eyes, she leaned up to kiss him, "I'm still using those magazines to help me plan."  
  
~^~  
_You know she's alright  
You know she's alright with me  
She's alright, she's alright (she's an angel)  
_  
~^~  
  
  
  
"Oh my god, Donna, you would not believe what I caught Steven doing yesterday." Jackie plopped down on the couch in the basement and turned to face Donna, "Guess."  
  
Donna looked up from her magazine slowly, "Uhm, Jackie, I don't think I want to know."  
  
"Ew, Donna, come on! He isn't Eric." Jackie laughed to herself before turning serious again, "He was reading to Vera!"  
  
"About government conspiracies?" Donna asked, sarcastically.   
  
"No, he picked up kids' books and he was reading them to her!" Jackie squealed, "I knew I'd turn him."   
  
Rolling her eyes, Donna laughed, "You didn't turn him, Jackie."  
  
"Turn who?" Kelso threw the door open and took a seat across from them, "Man, it's hard to cut class at the academy. They have security locks on all the freakin' doors."  
  
"Steven. I turned him soft." Jackie smiled proudly.  
  
"No she didn't, she thinks just because she caught him reading to Vera that—"  
  
"Wait, Hyde was reading to Vera?" Kelso tried to control his laughter, "I'm so throwing that in his face later."  
  
"No! Michael, I promised I wouldn't tell anyone. And he said he was only reading to her because…uh, well, Kitty made him." Jackie nodded.  
  
"I thought he was just trying to make her smart." Kelso said.  
  
"Oh, yeah, that too." Jackie frowned, trying to change the subject, "Why are you cutting?"  
  
"Chicks, they said my studliness distracts them in class." Kelso propped his feet up on the arm of the couch, "Well, not the nerdy chicks. Wouldn't want them after me anyway, brainy types. Eugh."   
  
"So you're saying all the geeky girls are off-limits? How about if they're hot but still geeky?" Jackie asked, curiously. She was starting to understand why Hyde wanted to read to Vera now.  
  
"Well, they're smart, so they know not to get too close next to me. Besides Brooke, that was a fluke. I still don't know why she stormed way when I suggested Vegas to get hitched."  
  
Jackie suddenly hopped up and rushed for her room.  
  
"Jackie, what are you doing?" Donna asked, amused.  
  
"Reading to Vera!"   
  
~^~  
  
"Steven?" Kitty lifted a brow at Hyde, who was trying to hide a stack of magazines at the bottom of the recycle bin.  
  
"Yeah?" He dusted his hands off and turned to her.  
  
"Are those Jackie's magazines?"   
  
"Yeah,"  
  
"I thought she wanted those."   
  
"She does."  
  
"I thought you wanted to live to see Vera graduate."  
  
He sighed, "Mrs. Forman, she doesn't even need those yet."  
  
"Well she wants them…" Kitty dug them out and handed it to him, "Okay, let me put it to you this way…besides caring for Vera all day, what else does she have to do?"  
  
'Me' He thought amusingly, "I don't know, she can do whatever she wants."  
  
"Except plan for the wedding you proposed?" Kitty crossed her arms.  
  
Hyde sighed and turned for the house, "Okay, I'll put the magazines back."   
  
Kitty called after him, "And stop hiding Vera's ribbons!"  
  
~^~  
  
Jackie scanned the bedroom one more time for the magazines, looking under Vera's crib and the tiny closet next to their room and nothing. She checked the couch in the basement one more time and gave up, sighing and plopping down on the tattered cushion. She felt paper crinkle under her and pulled the wrinkled magazines out, cheering a quiet victory she retreated upstairs to go hit Hyde with them.  
  
The living room was vacant except a solemn Red cursing the TV and rolling his eyes. She looked at him and then at the glossy pages in her hand, she sat down on the couch and waited patiently for him to notice her. Finally, after three more minutes of the football game, a commercial popped on.  
  
"What do you want?" He glanced back at her, "Don't tell me you like football, now."  
  
"Oh, god no." Jackie laughed, "Can I talk to you?"  
  
Red grimaced, "Do you have to?"  
  
She nodded fervently, "I need your opinion on something."  
  
He looked at the magazines in her lap and shook his head, "I don't talk about weddings."  
  
"Well, see, that's the thing. Steven is avoiding talking about the wedding when he's the one that proposed! And you, you're married for like, fifty years now and you still don't like talking about it and why can't I make him talk about it?!"  
Jackie huffed and slouched in her seat, out of breath.  
  
"First of all, it only feels like I've been married fifty years. Second, men don't talk about weddings. They're pansy." Red nodded, hoping that would shut her up.  
  
"So why did you propose?" Jackie crossed her arms defensively.  
  
"Kitty held me at gunpoint."   
  
Jackie didn't laugh.  
  
He tried again, "It was the thing to do, she was there, I was there…"  
  
Her expression went from blank to agape.  
  
"No, no, I didn't mean it like that." He rubbed his forehead, "When you get to a certain point in your relationship, you do things you don't really want. I _wanted_ to marry Kitty, don't get me wrong, I just didn't see the need for the huge ceremony and all the damn dumbasses showing up to watch us." Red looked up in thought, "Cake was good though…"  
  
"So if Mrs. Forman suggested just getting married without the ceremony you would have proposed sooner?" Jackie asked, confused. Who would want to get married without a ceremony? Everyone's attention focused on you, gifts, cake, and more gifts. What, were men brain dead?   
  
"Hell yeah." Red said, "In a heartbeat."  
  
Jackie frowned.  
  
"But I'm sure Steven won't mind, it's not up to him anyway." Red laughed, "Experience would be good for him. He needs to conform sometime. You know, he's lucky he lives in America, any other place they would have had his ass chained to a dirty brick wall by now. Damn commies." Red scowled.  
  
"Okay, thanks Mr. Forman!" Jackie got up and hugged him, he tried pushing her away and she smiled, heading off to look for Hyde.   
  
She still needed to hit him with the magazines he tried to hide from her.   
  
~^~  
_You can take all the tea in china  
Put it in a big brown bag for me  
Sail it right around the seven oceans  
Drop it smack dab in the middle of the deep blue sea  
Because she's as sweet as tupelo honey  
She's an angel of the first degree  
She's as sweet as tupelo honey  
Just like honey from the bee  
_  
~^~  
  
  
  
"Hey, Donna, you seen Jackie? I was supposed to meet her here after school." Hyde sat across from Donna at the Hub, stealing an onion ring from her plate.  
  
"Yeah, she's in the bathroom. And she was telling me how you won't let her work." She cocked her head at him, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I didn't say she couldn't, I just don't think it'll be cool to leave Vera with the Forman's everyday and who the hell leaves a two and half month old baby at a day care center?" He finished chewing, "And anyway, she agreed with me."  
  
"Yeah because she didn't want to argue."  
  
"Since when does Jackie not want to argue?"   
  
Kelso sat next to them, setting his drink and food in front of him, "Hey,"  
  
"Hey." Hyde turned back to Donna, "Seriously, Donna, just drop it with Jackie. She's not working."  
  
"See? You won't let her." Donna pointed at him accusingly.  
  
Jackie came back and scooted in next to Hyde, reaching up to kiss him before taking his soda and drinking some. "Hey guys."  
  
Hyde threw an arm in back of her and sighed, "Jackie, you don't want to work, do you?"  
  
Jackie's eyes widened and she shot Donna a glare before turning back to Hyde, "I don't know," She shrugged.  
  
"I thought we already agreed that we didn't want to leave Vera alone with anyone." He wouldn't usually bring up obvious touchy subjects like this but he couldn't sit there quietly when Jackie was considering actually leaving Vera alone with other people. Red and Kitty were great but he didn't want to give Red another heart attack just yet.   
  
"We aren't, don't worry. I'm not getting a job." Jackie took another sip of his drink and picked at the label on the root beer bottle.  
  
"Hey, didn't you say you'd just mooch off Jackie anyway?" Kelso cut in.  
  
Jackie rolled her eyes and Hyde frogged him, "I was kidding, you idiot."  
  
Donna looked on, irritated. "Jackie, I have to go to the bathroom."  
  
Jackie shrugged, "Okay."  
  
"_Jackie_, I have to go to the _bathroom_." Donna repeated.  
  
Jackie suddenly jumped up, "Oh!" She scurried away with Donna to the restroom and Hyde crossed his arms, put off.   
"Why do chicks always need to pee together?" Kelso took Donna's onion rings and placed them in his burger.  
  
"They're not really going to the bathroom, Donna's trying to convince Jackie to get a job and leave Vera at some center."  
  
"I could take care of her." Kelso squirted some mustard on the buns.  
  
"Yeah, I think not." Hyde looked over at the bathroom door, aggravated.  
  
"What's wrong with Red and Kitty?"  
  
"Nothin', man, I just don't want to ask them to take care of another kid when they just got rid of one."  
  
"Well, they have you four, so they got rid of two and then gained three extra, along with Laurie. Wait, and Fez." Kelso squished the bun on top of his burger firmly.  
  
Hyde shook his head; "I'm not leaving her with them any longer than I need to."  
  
"So, where is she now?"   
  
Hyde rolled his eyes, "The Formans'. But this doesn't count; I'm picking up some beer for Red on the way back. Man, do you know how many cases of beer I'd have to buy if Jackie got a job just so Red won't kick my ass? I spent half my check two weeks ago with that hotel incident. And then you morons telling them you thought I was cheating on Jackie again." Hyde frogged him, "I forgot to do that."  
  
"Hey, Fez heard Roy talking on the phone saying a 'Mr. Hyde' had occupied one of the rooms and I thought Jackie had a doctor's appointment." Kelso took a huge bite of his burger, the insides squirting out the other end.   
  
Hyde laughed, "That's great."  
  
~^~  
  
"Jackie, I can't believe you. You found the perfect place, I mean, how many beauty shops need a cashier and are willing to hire on the spot like that?"  
  
"They can't turn down the beautiful, Donna. And Steven's right, I don't want to leave Vera. I even miss her right now, and that daycare idea was crazy."  
  
"Don't you like having your own money?"   
  
Jackie sighed, nostalgically. "Of course, but all I have to really do to get money out of Steven only takes a few minutes."  
  
"Ugh." Donna shook her head, "So you're his own personal call girl?"  
  
Jackie laughed, "I can't believe you just said that, you lumberjack. And that sounds naughty." She smirked again, lost in thought.  
  
"Jackie! I was kidding, you're such a freak." Donna sat on the broken heater in the bathroom and sighed, "So you just won't get a job then?"  
  
Jackie shrugged a shoulder, "I mean, I want to get more money so we can move out quicker but I've been thinking…" Jackie smiled deviously.  
  
Donna waved her hand, "And?"  
  
~^~  
  
Hyde checked his watch again, "Okay, that's the longest time they've been in the bathroom in history."  
  
Kelso suddenly smiled, "So you think they're doing it?"  
  
Hyde quirked an eyebrow at the thought and then glowered, "They're probably just talking about men being misogynists."   
  
"How cool would it be to have _that_ job?" Kelso laughed.  
  
"Misogynist, not gynecologist." Hyde dropped his head in his palms and groaned.  
  
The girls finally emerged from the bathroom and Hyde stood, "Okay, you ready?"  
  
Jackie raised her eyebrows at him, "What's the rush?"  
  
"Jackie, it's five o'clock, you've been in that bathroom for a half an hour."  
  
Jackie grabbed her purse, "Oops! Sorry, girl talk." Kelso snorted and Jackie turned to glare at him before continuing, "Did you call Red incase he thought we snuck off again?"  
  
"We'll tell him when we get there, the payphone's broken."   
  
"Oh, that was me." Kelso raised his hand, "Yeah, who knew it wouldn't take plastic quarters?"  
  
~^~  
"So what were you two talking about that was so important you had to leave me with that idiot for thirty minutes?" Hyde stretched out next to Jackie on the bed as she made room for him and tangled her legs with his.  
  
"What color theme we should have for our wedding in the fall." Jackie smiled, knowing he'd regret asking.  
  
"And what colors are those?" Hyde asked.  
  
Jackie paused and lifted her head from his chest to look at him, "What?"  
  
"What colors did you decide upon after thirty minutes? It must have been some decision."  
  
Jackie nodded, eyes wide, "Yeah, uh, um we, dark colors. To match the leaves and….Steven, you're laughing!"  
  
Hyde stopped and started to chuckle again, "Jackie, you're so full of it. I know you like to talk about colors and all that crap but Donna's the one who called you into the bathroom, c'mon, what'd you really talk about?"  
  
"Honeymoons…?" Jackie straddled him and smiled mischievously.   
  
Hyde rolled his eyes but played along, placing his hands on her hips, "And?"  
  
"And how I won't need to pack much." Jackie leaned in to him and started to pull his shirt up.  
  
"I like the sound of that." He pulled her in for a kiss.  
  
~^~  
_She's as sweet as tupelo honey  
She's an angel of the first degree  
She's as sweet as tupelo honey  
Just like the honey, baby, from the bee  
She's my baby, you know she's alright.....  
  
There's a rose pressed inside a bible  
That she reads on the balcony  
She's sweet in slumber and I've got her number  
For the beginning of the century._


	11. Warm Love

~^~  
"Ugh, I always swore I'd get a maid to do this…" Jackie fastened Vera's diaper on and buckled her tiny pink t-shirt on.

"Jackie, aren't you used to it by now?" Donna collected the used wipes off the changing mat and into the trash. "And how are you going to tell Hyde about your crazy plan?"

Jackie picked Vera up and rubbed her back, trying to burp the sleepy eyed baby. "It isn't crazy, Donna. And I haven't figured that out yet, he's always at work or school and when we do see each other we don't waste it by talking."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I'll ask him this weekend, he's all mopey when he comes home because she's already asleep." She patted Vera's back and the baby let out a tiny burp, "Oh! I'll ask him while he's holding her, he usually doesn't argue when she's there." Jackie giggled and kissed Vera's hand.

~^~

Hyde stretched out on the basement couch with Vera on his chest; she had her head under his stubbly chin and her tiny hands curled under her cheeks as she slept. He used to be afraid to move when she was sleeping on him but after a few months he realized she could sleep through anything, kind of like Jackie. He propped his head up on one of the cushions and tried sleeping himself, after volunteering for some more hours at the hotel and having to take finals all week, he was exhausted. When he was home he didn't want to sleep anyway, Jackie purposely wore a thin robe to bed so they didn't have to do much work when he was back.

Each time she pretended to be asleep and at first he cursed under his breath and tried to block her warm body... with the tie on her robe loose... rubbing in back of him out of his head. He planned to have a talk about her wardrobe in the morning, but soon enough she snaked her arms around his waist and crawled up to kiss him. Yeah, he didn't get much sleep that week. He had the weekend off and he was going to take advantage of it, he made it a mission to not do anything that involved leaving the house lest it was for a burger at the Hub, and even then he would probably get it to go.

Jackie went grocery shopping with Kitty and the thought alone made him laugh. When Kitty suggested Jackie come with her, Jackie insisted she wasn't any good at it. Kitty guilt-tripped her into it sooner or later, though, and Jackie begrudgingly tagged along, muttering about food and fabric being very different things. Just as he was drifting off to sleep, the door swung open and he rolled his eyes at the interruption. Trying to lift his head up without waking Vera, he squinted over the arm of the couch.

"Hey," Eric took a seat and smirked at Hyde. "Guess what?"

"Forman, the only thought I want to think about right now is sleep and experiencing its many wonders."

"I don't know Hyde, I'm thinking maybe you want to hear this."

Hyde sighed and lifted Vera up, laying her over his shoulder and propping his feet up on the coffee table. "Fine."

"Jackie thinks by scratching the whole ceremony deal, you'll agree to marry her this summer."

Hyde blinked. "Is that all?"

"What do you mean 'is that all'?"

"Well, Forman, you said 'guess what' like you had actual news. I'm not blind, Jackie hasn't perfected subtlety as well as she thought." He slid further in his seat. "And Red mentioned 'marrying the girl' already so she won't ask him for advice anymore."

"So?"

"So what?"

"You going to actually go with her plan?"

"Nah, figure by the time she actually musters up the courage to tell me she'd change her mind already."

Eric stayed quiet, waiting for Hyde to continue.

"It's crazy, Jackie not wanting a real wedding? Please. She'll back down."

"But why do _you_ want this real wedding?"

"Because she wanted this since forever and will hang this over my head for the rest of our lives if we just get hitched. And if we go this route, no free gifts. I'm not one to back down on free gifts and money, man."

Eric nodded wistfully. "Yeah, that cake was the most delicious thing I ever had. And my mom would kill you if you guys got married without telling her, or letting her cook."

"Exactly." Hyde laid back down as Vera stirred awake, whimpering. He got back up and groaned. "Hey, Forman, want to practice changing diapers?"

Eric laughed. "Yeah, sure thing!" He shook his head and went for the stairs, leaving a crying Vera and tired Hyde behind.

_Look at the ivy on the cold clinging wall  
Look at the flowers and the green grass so tall  
It's not a matter of when push comes to shove  
It's just an hour on the wings of a dove_

The sun shone bright as Jackie reclined the lounge chair, she untied her sarong and stretched out happily, she was going to tan today if it killed her. Setting Kitty's cook timer, she flipped her sunglasses on and relaxed.

"You have sun screen on, right?" Hyde's shadow hung over her and she nudged up her sunglasses to glare at him.

"Well, now I do. Move out of the way!" Jackie tried kicking at his legs but he just stood where he was.

"Jackie, last time you got a sunburn and I couldn't touch you for a week."

"You know, Steven, once I think you might actually care about my well-being and you ruin it by saying that." Jackie crossed her arms.

Hyde shrugged and turned to leave before an idea came to her. "Oh, Steven…"

He froze. "What?"

"Maybe you can rub it on me?" Jackie smirked as she saw his hands clench.

Hyde stood for a moment, he tried thinking up reasons for why he _shouldn't_ be Jackie's lapdog and rub lotion all of her heated tanned skin with her skimpy little black bikini…"Where's the bottle?"

She giggled and reached under her chair, throwing it at him.

~^~

"What in the hell are those kids doing on my drive-way?" Red squinted outside and groaned. "Kitty! Tell them not to do that on my drive-way!"

Kitty wiped the cookie dough off her hands and peeked outside. "Aw, he's just putting sun screen on her." Kitty got a better view of where Hyde's hands were and gasped. "They can't do that in public!"

"Exactly, I should mow them down with my Toyota."

Just then Bob entered from the living room and let out a loud sigh. "Hey there."

"I'm not asking what's wrong, Bob."

"I'm selling my house, Red." Bob sat at the table and snuck a cookie.

"What the hell for?" Red tried shutting the blinds but gave up and sat across from Bob, instead.

"Well, I—" Bob tilted his head at the sliding door and laughed. "You know, me and Midgey used to do that."

"That's it, I'm mowing all three of you down."

"Bob, why are you selling your house?" Kitty crossed her arms.

"Since Donna's in Madison, I don't need all that space. With the money I'll make off of the sell, I could buy a condo or something in Madison, you know, live like an actual bachelor."

"Well, that does make sense." Kitty suddenly frowned,. "I don't want some weirdo moving in next to us!"

"I was thinkin' about that, too. Isn't Steven looking for a place?"

"A place he could afford, yes." Red gave Bob a look.

"I could give him a break, it's not like he could runaway with the house…maybe make down payments."

"You'll be dead before those down payments add up to something."

"I'm serious, Red, they have a baby…an apartment's no good for a baby."

"Well, I don't know why they just can't stay here." Kitty said.

Red looked at Kitty. "They're not staying here forever, and Bob? Have you thought about this?"

"I think I did, Red. Madison has two Italian bakeries, two, Red! Point Place only has one, and that's not fresh. And Donna will be there, we can try that father-daughter bonding thing. Plus, ever since Eric killed his car, Donna's been taking mine. This'll be easier for me to get it back."

"Bakeries, Bob? _That's_ your reasoning?" Red sighed. "Why doesn't this surprise me?"

"I was going to ask Steven now but it looks like he's busy." Bob laughed.

~^~

_I dig it when you're fancy dressed up in lace  
I dig it when you have a smile on your face  
This inspiration's got to be on the flow  
This invitation's got to see it and know_

"Steven, we're outside!" Jackie giggled as he rubbed the lotion higher on her thighs, suddenly she squeaked. "I'm pretty sure the sun won't be hitting there!"

Hyde snorted and squeezed more lotion on his hands, running them up Jackie's stomach and around her chest. "Better safe than sorry."

"You're blocking the sun, anyway, you idiot." Jackie tried to scoot out of his shade but he took a hold of the chair and brought her back, "I'm not done, yet."

Massaging the cream around her neck, he stopped at her face and brought her in for a kiss. Trailing his tongue across her glossy lips, he crawled over her, making the lawn chair lay flat on the ground. She wrapped her arms around him and draped a leg across his, pulling him closer.

"Guys, you're outside!" Eric shouted, Donna, Kelso, and Fez trailing behind.

"Yes, please continue!" Fez sat on the floor next to them and stared as they broke apart.

"Hey, Jackie, need anymore help with that lotion?" Kelso nodded to the abandoned bottle and hopped up on the top of Hyde's Camino.

Jackie suddenly looked at the car in contemplation. "Hmm, Michael get off of there." She hopped up and picked the lawn chair up, shoving it on the flatbed and releasing the back so she could climb on. "The black will attract the sun and maybe I can catch what's left of it." She paused and threw a glare at Hyde. "Thanks to Steven."

Hyde shrugged. "Just tryin' to help you out, babe."

"Yeah, yeah." She laid down and readjusted her strap. "Michael, quit looking at me and get off the car."

"I got it," Hyde said as he grabbed Kelso's leg and threw him off the car, he dusted off his hands and hopped on himself, grinning.

"Damn, Hyde! I swear, you're the first person I'm putting on probation when I become a cop."

Hyde nodded. "Sure thing."

Donna climbed on the Camino and sat next to Jackie. "Hey, you tell 'em yet?"

"Geez, Donna, wanna ask me a little louder?" Jackie looked over at Hyde quick, who was preoccupied trying to hit Fez and Eric at the same time with the basketball. "And no, not yet."

"What are you waiting for, the second coming?"

"Why are _you_ so anxious?" Jackie lifted a brow.

"Well, it's either bug you about this or talk about school."

"Yeah, or Eric. I understand." Jackie smirked.

"Haha." Donna sighed. "Is Mrs. Forman baking cookies?" She squinted over Jackie's shoulder and hopped over the side of the car, disappearing into the house as Kelso and Fez ran in after her.

Jackie shook her head. "Hey Eric, I see living on your own is very satisfying."

"Hey. It IS very satisfying, we just can't afford to buy all the ingredients for cookies." He paused and added, "Or food."

Hyde coughed out a laugh. "We'll be right behind you, man. After the wedding we'll be living off soup and crackers."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Steven."

"What? It's true."

Jackie hesitated. "Well, what would you say if I said we skipped that part?"

"What, getting married?" Hyde played dumb.

Jackie kicked his shoulder and said, "You know, having guests and a ceremony…I can do without it." '...not that I want to' she added mentally.

Hyde scooted further into the truck and took her hand. "Jackie, it's cool. I was kidding about the food." He scratched his chin. "Mostly."

Jackie opened her mouth to protest but he leaned in and kissed her, effectively shutting her up and eliciting a groan in the back of her throat.

"Cookies it is." Eric coughed out, making a face at their display and turning for the house.

~^~

"Huh." Hyde muttered as he plopped down on to his chair.

"What?" Eric looked up from the television screen.

"Bob just offered to sell his house to me for half price." Hyde crossed his arms. "He even said he'd leave most of the furniture there."

"Wait, Bob's moving? Where's he going? He's not moving in with me and Donna, is he?"

"I don't know, he said something about Madison but don't you think it's a little fishy to just offer to sell the house you've raised your family on a whim for half price to your neighbor?"

"Aw, Hyde are we being paranoid again?"

"Man, I'll be living next door…that's too close."

"Yeah, I could see how living in the basement's better." Eric rolled his eyes.

"You're out of Point Place, if I get a house here, we'd be…stuck." Hyde rubbed his forehead. "Even more stuck than we are now."

"But Hyde, really, what's there to really see anywhere else, anyway?"

"Not see, man, just to get out, be free…"

"Free? You do remember who you're engaged to, right?" Eric paused before adding, "Oh, and that whole baby thing?"

Hyde rolled his eyes. "Forget it, Forman."

"Look, Hyde, man, this is a good deal…Bob's practically handing you a house and you have the down payment money, right?"

"That's not the point." Hyde shrugged. "I don't know, I'm afraid if we take this we'll be too comfortable and…I don't know."

"You want to give her more than that." Eric stated simply.

Hyde was quiet; leaning back in his chair he shook his head. "But Vera, she needs a house, not a dingy basement or small apartment." He sighed and readjusted his sunglasses, not planning to say anything more on the subject.

"You can stay there temporarily until someone else can move in, it happens all the time. You could find a bigger apartment when you're saved up there, you'll mostly be on your own. You know, except for the five times my mom will be showing up each day to feed you guys."

Hyde smirked. "Yeah, I guess that'll be cool. Bob's not even asking that much for the payments right now, so I could pay him rent until we move again…"

"So, you'll take him up on it?"

"I don't know, I'm gonna see how Jackie reacts to this first." Hyde grimaced. "Damnit."

~^~

_It's just warm love  
It's just warm love  
And it's everpresent everywhere  
And it's everpresent everywhere  
That warm love_

"Did she just roll over?" Jackie exclaimed, blinking her eyes open wider and shaking Hyde's shoulder on the bed.

"What?" He mumbled in response.

"Oh my god, Steven, she just rolled over!" Jackie jumped up and picked Vera up from her place in the crib. "My little baby rolled over!" She cooed, patting the baby's back encouragingly.

"What the hell do you mean she rolled over? She can't roll over. She's too small." Hyde grumbled, pushing himself up in a sitting position. "You're seeing things."

"I am not seeing things, Steven, she rolled over. Aww, she's growing!"

Hyde crossed his arms. "She's too young."

Jackie snorted, "Young or not, she rolled over." She bounced over to Hyde and lifted Vera to him. "Now hug her so she does it again."

Hyde reached for her but stopped. "No."

"Steven. Hug her."

"She can't roll over."

"Yes she can, now stop pouting and hug her."

Hyde took the baby and glared at Jackie. "I don't pout, shut up." He kissed Vera's cheek and the baby giggled, covering his nose with her tiny hand.

"Oh my god, where's the camera?" Jackie started to rummage through the dresser drawers.

"Jackie, you can't take her picture every time she does that. We have a hundred." His words were muffled as Vera's hand slid further down, covering his mouth.

"Fifteen." Jackie sniffed, plucking the object out of its box. "Okay, turn this way," She pointed to the opposite wall.

Hyde ignored her and opened his mouth, blowing a raspberry on the baby's palm, making her giggle uncontrollably and grab his lip. The camera flashed and Vera's smile widened, turning to Jackie to laugh at her, too.

Tucking the box back in the drawer, Jackie kneeled down next to the baby and placed a loud kiss on her hand. "Steven, she's going to be a model."

Hyde rolled his eyes and sighed. "Okay."

"Ooh, we can send her pictures in now, she'll be on the front of all the baby magazines!" Jackie squealed and draped a leg across Hyde's lap. "We can be a mother-daughter team, it'll be perfect."

Hyde looked at her. "How much coffee did you have?"

"Coffee stunts your growth, I had tea." Jackie nodded. "Kitty just got a box full yesterday."

Laughing, he leaned back against the wall. "You don't have to worry about coffee stunting your growth, Jackie."

~^~

_To the country I'm going  
Lay and laugh in the sun  
You can bring, bring your guitar along  
We'll sing some songs, we'll have some fun_

"Dad, you're actually moving?" Donna sat across from Bob at the kitchen table, a bag of stolen food beside her.

"Well, I figured it was time to see the bright lights of Madison. And I'll be closer to you, aren't you happy?" Bob smiled and took a sip of his coffee.

"But…but," Donna stuttered. "We've lived here forever."

"You don't live here anymore," Bob pointed out.

"Who's going to move in? Some strangers will be sleeping my room!"

"Oh, no, I asked Steven yesterday if he'd take the house. He's thinking about it."

"Hyde? Hyde's moving in?" Donna asked, confused.

"Well, him and Jackie. And Vera. They need a home, Donna."

"They have a home. The Forman's home." Donna pouted. "This is our home."

Bob sighed. "Aw, Donna, c'mon. I can't stay here forever, I've always wanted to live in the city."

"Madison isn't really a city, dad. New York's a city…Chicago, Los Angeles…" Donna trailed off. "Well, I guess it's fine if they're going to be there." She paused. "Hey, how come Jackie didn't tell me?"

"Maybe she forgot?"

"No, no, Jackie doesn't _forget_ to tell me anything. Did you tell both of them or just Hyde?"

"Just Steven, what's the matter?"

"Nothing, it'll just be nice to know something Jackie doesn't already know for once." Donna smiled and got up. "I'll be back later."

He sat in his chair, staring at her. She was preoccupied with feeding Vera and yelling at one of the contestants on _The Newlywed Game_. He knew she'd like the idea, a house that cheap this early? She'd be ecstatic. He just didn't want them to get too comfortable, he didn't want to raise Vera the same place he was raised, too much shit happened here. Hyde wasn't much for clean slates and high hopes but now that he had Vera, not to mention Jackie's exaggerate fantasies…he cleared his throat, ready to tell her. Well, test her. He wanted her to really think about it.

"Jackie," He nodded to her, taking a gulp.

"Mmm?" Jackie's eyes barely left the screen and her face fell as the couple she was rooting for lost.

"Jackie, listen, when we move…where were you thinking of going?" He said it nonchalantly, hoping it'd rub off on her.

"Oh my god, did you find a place?" Her face lit up and her focus was now completely on him.

Damn.

"Well, no, just answer the question."

"I don't care, just as long as it isn't dirty or haunted. Or next to that stinky plant on Main."

Hyde sighed. "No, I meant specifically, you want to stay here or…I don't know, you're the one always thinking about this crap, what did you have in mind?"

"Well, I didn't really think about that, mostly just…decorations and if we could unhinge the door from my old house and put it in the new one 'cause it's pretty."

Hyde tried picturing the fancy mahogany door and steel knocker on the Pinciotti's quaint home and shook his head. "So, you don't care if we stay in Point Place?"

Jackie frowned. "Do _you_ want to stay here?"

"I asked you first."

"Steven, what's going on? Did you find a place here?"

He studied her face, usually every emotion was written plainly on it but now it was blank as she blinked up at him, waiting for an answer. "Steven?"

"No, I was just wondering." He needed more time to think about it.

~^~

_The sky is crying and it's time to go home  
And we shall hurry to the car from the foam  
Sit by the fire and dry out our wet clothes  
It's raining outside from the skies up above_

"Sooo, Jackie." Donna grinned and sat on the arm of couch next to Jackie. "You tell Hyde about the plan, yet?"

"I decided I want a real wedding." Jackie nodded.

"Hmm. Did Hyde tell you anything new lately?"

"No." Jackie squinted at Donna, suspicious. "Why, what do you know?"

"Oh, nothing," Donna smiled. "Nothing at all."

Jackie shot an arm out and pinched her. "Tell me what you know, you lumberjack."

"Ow!" Donna rubbed her arm and sighed. "My dad's selling his place."

Jackie gasped, "Oh, I'm so sorry, Donna." And then, "Wait, what does that have to do with me?"

"Guess who he's selling it to…"

"Um."

"Hyde, you airhead."

"So _that's_ why he was acting all weird today." Jackie pressed her lips together in contemplation. "We can't afford a house."

"My dad's willing to rent it out to you guys."

"Huh."

"Yeah."

"Why didn't Steven tell me this?" Jackie pouted.

"Well, now you know he knows," Donna nodded. "It's fun."

"Oh, please, you're an amateur. You told me way too quickly."

"You're not gonna tell him you know?"

"Not yet," Jackie fiddled with the ring on her finger. "It's been awhile since I could make him really squirm."

~^~  
_Inside it's warm love  
Inside it's warm love  
And it's everpresent everywhere  
And it's everpresent everywhere  
Warm love  
Warm love_

"It has a fireplace," Bob sing-songed.

"Bob. Let Steven think about this, I mean…it's right next door to us." Red sighed.

"Yeah." Hyde agreed.

Kitty placed her hands on her hips. "And what does that mean, mister?"

"Oh, nothing." Hyde smiled. "I…Jackie, yeah, she…um, doesn't like the view from that one room?"

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Who wants tea?"

"Kitty, we need coffee to think about this. Enough with the tea already." Red tapped his fingers on the table.

"So, if we rent it, that means we sign a lease and then we could move when we want after that, right?" Hyde leaned back in his chair to look up at Bob.

"Yeah, you could sign it for a year…six months, whenever." Bob shrugged, "I already found this really great place in Madison. It's five minutes away from Donna and Eric." He smiled. "I counted."

"Steven, you told Jackie already, right?" Kitty laid the coffee cups down on the table and took a seat beside him.

"Well."

"Steven."

"I wanted to get all the details first." He nodded. "And, now that I have them, I guess I'll ask her."

~^~

Jackie looked out of her window; she looked past the willow tree slightly obstructing her view, past the garden that was finally starting to bloom and past the blanket with the small stuffed animals on it.

She smiled down at Hyde bouncing the curly haired baby lightly on his knee as the guys dribbled the basketball past them and she remembered last year when everything was up in the air and confusing.

Not to say that things were picture perfect now, but now she had everything she needed and never really knew she wanted. Her main goal was to get out of Point Place and discover the world, or better yet, let the world discover her while she sunbathed in Miami and had her pictures taken for every girl to envy across the globe.

When you're young, you want everything to change and stay the same simultaneously; you wanted your ideas and dreams to stay the same, you actually thought they would. Growing up faster than you were meant to obviously puts those thoughts to a standpoint, you make room for things you need. You clarify the things you don't. You fall in love all over again with the boy you wished dead just a month earlier and accept his 'proposal' just a few months after.

Jackie never really liked to think so much about the things that affected her so deep; she never had to until one boring summer and a game show. When Hyde told her just a few odd months earlier about Bob's offer she hesitated, postponing her classes in beauty school was one thing, but moving in just next-door just seemed like de ja vu. And one step back instead of forward.

Hyde assured her that it was temporary until he found a reasonably priced place in Madison and all the convenience it was what with the Formans' right next door. She couldn't argue. Once she sorted it out in her head and started planning where to look for the new place, the excitement grew and she realized all she ever wanted was this.

They had a village of friends to help them with Vera and she grinned at the thought of all the bridal magazines stashed under the bed. She looked back down at the driveway to catch Vera giggle in Hyde's arms and she smiled, it was going to be a great summer.

_Three years later…_

"Jackie?" Hyde tried to calm the slippery child in his arms, struggling he lifted her into the bedroom, "Jackie, damnit, take her."

Vera screeched again and laughed, kicking off her shoes.

"Steven, I ask you to do one _simple_ thing and you can't even do it." Jackie glanced back at her husband and finished applying her mascara, "What's wrong anyway?"

Hyde chuckled and crossed his arms. "I don't think she wants to go to ballet."

"Oh, please." Jackie snapped the wand back in its tube and went for the blush. "What makes you say that?"

"Look."

Jackie turned away from her vanity to see Vera on the bed squirming out of her tou tou and itching at her arms. "Mmph!"

Sighing, Jackie picked up the abandoned pink slippers and smirked. "Honey, why don't you want to go?"

"Because she'd rather play out back with the trucks." Hyde ventured a guess.

"Ugh! Why God? Why couldn't you give me a girl who actually behaves like a girl?"

Vera giggled and ran out of the room half-dressed, Jackie gasped and ran after her. "Steven! Help me get this devil child before she breaks her neck! Oh God."

Hyde peeked his head out the door as Jackie dove in front of Vera and picked her up, tickling her and trying to maneuver her away from the staircase. "You seem to be on it. You want me to cancel those lessons again?"

Jackie opened her mouth to answer as Vera stuck her foot in it, Hyde would have gotten the camera if he wasn't so busy laughing at the scene before him.

"I swear, Vera…" Jackie wiped at her mouth and swung the tomboy over her shoulder, "Yeah, call them, Steven. Think we'll just take her to Donna and Eric's so the University won't kick me out."

Hyde plucked the phone up. "Thought you said they didn't kick the 'beautiful' ones out?"

"Ha. Ha." Jackie deposited Vera on the bed before stealing a kiss from Hyde. "Maybe scheduling our classes for the same time was a bad idea?"

"We were spoiled, Bob was bored." Hyde finished apologizing to the dance school one more time for canceling another lesson and hung up. "They're not going to take us seriously anymore if we keep doing that."

"It's only the third time, Steven." Jackie changed Vera's training diapers and fell against his chest as he sat behind her.

"Sixth." He stated.

"Whatever." Jackie pouted. "Why did he and Midge have to go and get re-married again? He was such a good babysitter."

"They'll be back from whatever planet they're parading as a honeymoon they're on next week, we'll attack them then."

A light snore caught their attention and they both burst out laughing as a half dressed Vera passed out with a bottle in her mouth.

"She's so your kid." Jackie said.

"Uh huh." Hyde brushed her hair back and leaned down toward her ear. "How about whipping us up a boy this time?"

"In your dreams, burnout." Jackie nudged him and paused. "Or at least until we graduate."

"That's my girl." Hyde pulled her down on their bed as they prepared for another session of Trying To Dress Vera.

"Mmm, Steven?"

"Yeah?"

"You think it'd work better if we dressed her while she was asleep?"

Hyde sighed. Only took them three years to figure that one out. "Anyone asks, we already knew that."

"Right." Jackie kissed him gently on the mouth. "And I suppose you want credit for that one, too, I take it?"

"What do you mean? It was my idea." He grinned and helped Jackie off up the bed. "Oh yeah, Deputy Kelso wants to baby-sit."

"Didn't she lock him in the closet last time?"

"He said they were playing hide and seek. And Fez was the one who locked the door, she just closed it."

"Well she couldn't very well reach the doorknob."

"So, anyway, he'll be here in a few minutes."

"Good, we'll let him dress her."

~The End

_Inside it's warm love  
Inside it's warm love  
And it's everpresent everywhere  
And it's everpresent everywhere  
Warm love  
Warm love_


	12. Epilogue Endless Love

**Author's Note: Chapter 11 and this epilogue was written and uploaded in March/April of 2005 and published on my LJ Community "tarnished_luci". I am just now moving it here because I am the best at procrastination. I should get a medal.**

**Please be 18+ to read this and any of my stories over on LJ, as they are not for young eyes.  
**

~^~  
_I don't know how to start these things off so I'll just jump right into it…_

_I was surprised when Jackie picked me to hold Vera. Out of Kitty, Red, Donna, Eric, hell, even Fez! Me. Twenty minutes in to the ceremony I stopped wondering why. The little thing that I thought was practically the cutest (second to my future kid, of course) baby in the world, spit up on me five times. After the third time, I stopped laughing and started shooting death glares at the happy wife and husband to be. Of course, they didn't notice me. I still did it, anyway, it seemed to make her laugh and I always appreciate a good laugh. I shifted her on my knee, those wooden fold up chairs weren't so good for sitting on long periods of time and I had to pee. As far as I could tell, there were no port potties in sight, either._

_Oh, yeah, they decided to have their wedding in the woods. The woods. Well, technically, it was the park overlooking the town…but it was woody, so it's the woods. And, man, there just ain't no place to go when you gotta go, you know? They skipped on Pastor Dave and picked Red to do the nuptials. Heh. Nuptials. Replace that 'U' with an 'I' and add another 'P' and…er. Anyway, yeah, Red bitched every chance he got until the day of, especially after finding out that he had to get registered to do it._

_This was still pretty strange, not the whole Jackie and Hyde getting married thing, but the part where Jackie came out in a white sundress. What the hell? Actually, you know, that was pretty funny. She bought all these Bridal magazines and asked Hyde a million questions on what fabric goes with what lace and she ended up getting a fancy white (cough) sundress. Or maybe it was cream…she always said I was good with colors._

_Okay, so, she comes out and I'm still playing with Vera because since we're out in the fricken' woods, there's no music to cue everyone to stand and gawk at the bride, so I'm still making faces at Vera and she's walking up the aisle as slow as could be, soaking in all the attention (which was also strange considering there weren't many people there to begin with) and Kitty nudges me to stand and…Jackie looked beautiful. Not that I was expecting any less…just, damn. The sun was setting, which is why I guess she was going so slow, and she was just shining._

_I took a quick glance at Hyde and had to stop myself from laughing at the expression on his face, he wasn't smiling…but he wasn't frowning…man, if I have to find a name for what he was doing, we'd be here all day. He looked in awe, there you go, awe. I guess everyone was pretty awed. Heh. That's a funny word._

_Okay, back to Jackie, she was wearing white thin ribbony lace things in her hair and her dress stopped right above her knees and the back went past her feet. I don't know why I'm trying to explain her dress but you need a visual, you know? Her shoes were a strappy contraption and even with the high heels she stood just below Hyde's nose. She wasn't wearing a veil; she complained that she wanted her face visible in the pictures they took so everyone could see how happy she was and how hard she worked on her makeup._

_I guess I'll tell you what Hyde was wearing, too, only fair. Jackie made him buy new slacks and shirts (she said he needed more than one incase something happened to the first one) so he was wearing black pants and a shirt the same color as Jackie's dress. Eric, the best man, (what's that about?) wore the same thing, but about one hundred sizes smaller, next to him. He was smiling, but I think he was really trying not to laugh, he still thought the dress was white and apparently he hadn't gotten over that, yet. He kept glancing at Vera on my lap and then back at Jackie. I still don't know how Donna puts up with him._

_Red cleared his throat and started reading the nuptials (heh) and I was almost tempted to stand when he asked if anyone had any objections. I didn't want to object, you kiddin' me? I just thought it'd be funny and everyone needed an exciting wedding. The look on Hyde's face as he glanced at everyone in their seats held me back, though; I wasn't really going to stand up. By this time, Vera had fallen asleep and my arm was going numb so I was getting pretty cranky, I didn't wanna move her but her head weighed a ton. While she was sucking happily away on her pacifier, the blood had stopped circulating in my arm and I think my hand started to change color._

_Where was I at, again? Oh, yeah, Red asked if Hyde would take Jackie to be his lawfully wedded wife and Hyde paused. He was smirking while he did it, though, so I knew he was doing it just to piss Jackie off but he waited a good ten seconds before he said 'I do'._

_I wish I could have seen her face, I was on the bride's section (I forget why) and I couldn't get a look at her face. Red repeated the question to Jackie and I saw her head kind of cock to the side while she waited the same amount of time Hyde did to answer, if not longer. See, that's the thing I like about them; they're never boring. Not to say Jackie and I were boring in our day, messed up, yeah, but never boring. Eric and Donna, on the other hand…they had their moments but 'eh'._

_So, yeah, Jackie and Hyde. They're always testing each other's nerves and having a good time, Hyde does something; Jackie matches him step-by-step. That's pretty cool. Like then, she waited at *least* five seconds longer than Hyde to answer, and the look on Hyde's face was priceless, she must have looked pretty convincing, I think he was gritting his teeth. Before Red even got to the 'You may kiss the bride…', they were already kissing. Actually, they were doing a little more than that and Red had to cough to break them apart, but hell, Fez got a kick out of it._

_Oh, they made Fez photographer. Ever since Fez got that job, you know, I think that kind of made up his mind about what he wanted to do. Take pictures of pretty people. It's kind of fitting, actually, now that I think about it. Jackie had him take example pictures for her before she decided and he came back with five rolls of film from the beach. I still need to find some frames for some of those, man; I wonder how he got that close-up without getting smacked._

_I forgot to tell you about why we were in the woods in the first place, according to Jackie; this was the place where they had their first date. A park. It was Veterans' day, the one where Fez and I got drunk and wandered around aimlessly, and Hyde took her to this exact place. She said they just sat on top of the car drinking pop and talked for three out of the forty minutes but it was 'nice' she also said this was where they had their first kiss._

_She hit me up side the head when I asked if this was the first place they did it, too, though. Whatever. As they walked back down the aisle, Jackie reached for Vera and gave me a kiss on the cheek as she did. That's another thing, Jackie got freakishly nicer ever since she had Vera, not by a lot, she's still kind of the same, but enough. She says 'please' and 'thank you' now, for instance. Hyde patted me on the shoulder and they were on their way._

_The reception was held at the Sizzler. That's another thing. The Sizzler? But I didn't ask this time, I knew. After I cheated on Jackie with Laurie and she caught me, she made Hyde bring her to the Sizzler and then she bought him new boots. I remember because I spent all that week trying to combine The Who and Led Zeppelin songs and pretend I wrote them when I sang them to her (to get her back). I remember she kissed Hyde, then, too. I told her that we should have the ceremony in Sizzler, then, because that was really their first date and day when they first kissed._

_She hit me upside the head again and told me to pay attention. Oh, I take back what I said about her being nicer. Yeah, no. I also mentioned that their wedding really wasn't all that classy and she said that they were on a budget and their honeymoon will be much classier._

_That's where you come in, buddy, since you live in Mexico now, Hyde asked me to write this to you incase his long-distance call didn't come through (or Red caught him), they're going to be staying at a hotel but he wanted to meet up with you and catch up or whatever. The name of their hotel and number is on the back of this page. See? I remember some things._

_I hope you get this, though, 'cause this is the longest letter I've ever written. Oh, and just so you're not confused, Jackie told me to tell you about the wedding since you couldn't make it. Hyde slipped me a twenty just to get straight to the point because he said you have trouble paying attention for too long, but then Jackie said she'd bring me back a souvenir of one of those dancing hula girl lamps if I gave you the details. So, yeah, hope you're still reading, man._

_Okay, Leo, man, I'll see ya. One other thing, if this police thing doesn't go through, can I buy one of The FotoHuts'? Get back to me, thanks._

_--Kelso_

_PS: These are the pictures Jackie gave me to send, she said to give them to modeling agencies or as examples for your FotoHut down there incase you don't get to meet them. She told me her face needs to show up somewhere exotic. Or something. She also said she won't be too put out if you have to cut Hyde out. Okay, I said that. But, really, c'mon, he's not even smiling in most of them, he's doing that...awed...thing. Okay, seriously, later. (My picture's in there, too. Don't knock the cut, man; it's popular down here.)  
_

~^~  
_Fair play to you  
Killarney's lakes are so blue  
And the architecture I'm taking in with my mind  
So fine..._

Hyde skimmed the letter again and shook his head; he knew he shouldn't have let Kelso write the letter to Leo. Luckily, though, the call went through and he got the information he needed. Leo was staying at a beach house in Playa Condesa and since Acapulco is such a small city; the hotel (_'Casablanca'_ Jackie sure knew how to pick them) Hyde and Jackie were staying at was just a couple of blocks away. He still couldn't believe he was in Mexico.

As time passed and he couldn't dodge Jackie's wedding questions any longer, he figured he better hunker down and actually discuss what they'd have to do in order to have a decent wedding and an even better honeymoon.

It turned out that when Jackie turned 18, she gained access to some money her deceased grandparents put away for her. Thing is, they never told her parents, so when she got a belated check from some bank in Florida; she was shocked, to say the least. He had to tie her down to keep her from going straight to the mall and blowing it on shoes and the new high-end baby clothes shop just outside of town.

Five thousand dollars wasn't enough to pack up and move to the rich side of town again, but Jackie was ecstatic and Hyde had to count to ten before he talked to her about how to spend the money. The money was enough to move up their plans a few months and allowed them to go straight from Bob's old house to the house in Kenosha Jackie was eyeing. It also gave them the option to either have a really nice wedding, or a really nice honeymoon. Hyde didn't need to do much to convince her the latter would be more worth remembering, especially since he got word on where Leo's new pad was. Jackie even saved some of her mother's postcards from her trips around Mexico, Jackie told him Acapulco even had a cliff diving show and what better way to spend their vacation looking at people jump off cliffs for entertainment.

Acapulco. Steven Hyde, 19, father of one, husband of Jackie Beulah Burkhardt-Hyde spending his honeymoon in Acapulco. If he weren't so busy trying to find Leo and burping Vera, he'd pinch himself to see if he were dreaming. There was no question about whether or not to bring Vera along with them, they would be gone for two weeks and there was no possible way in hell that they'd leave their baby girl for two whole weeks. They trusted the Formans' with everything, but they would be missing and worrying about her too much to enjoy the vacation. Not to mention Vera had a natural attachment to her parents at ten months old.

Hyde got permission to extend his Thanksgiving break another week and a half on account of his 'dying grandmother in Texas.' Hell, he wasn't totally lying, he didn't know either of his grandmothers, and one of them might be dying at that very moment for all he knew.

Mexicana Airlines was considerably cheap that week due to the whole holiday rush; they got a good round-trip deal. Everything was going smoothly and Hyde tried not to think too much about it because that was just about the time something or someone threw a wrench in it and damn it all if he was going to jinx it by thinking. He would have rather be stripping Jackie of her sarong and bikini but their babysitter was still at work.

Jackie almost clocked him when he suggested Leo baby-sit. Leo was actually pretty good with babies when he was sober and Vera really seemed to like him when he dropped by in the summer to visit. Jackie must have known Hyde wouldn't even be thinking about it if Leo weren't reliable, he wouldn't let anyone stay alone with her for too long before he insisted Vera didn't like the constant attention. He was getting better and better at lying, too. What kid of Jackie's didn't like constant attention? Hah.

While Jackie checked out the house for rodents or insects and baby-safe items, he put Vera to sleep in her bassinet and pulled Jackie into his arms before she turned over Leo's house.

"Steven, just one more room, I swear."

She tried to wriggle out of his grip weakly but gave up after she saw the look on his face.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" She went for her mirror compact and he held in a laugh.

"Now that you mention it, your lip gloss looks a little messy…" He got closer with each word and captured her lips with his; drawing her into his embrace further and tasting the remnants of the candied apples they got at the airport. His foggy mind got even foggier as she reciprocated his eagerness with a sweetened coconut tongue.

She leaned into him heavily as he backed them up against the dining room table, slipping his fingers through the strings that held her top together. The knot came undone and fell carelessly to the floor as Hyde brushed her nipples lightly against his calloused palm, close enough for her to grind her hips into his but far enough away for her to moan in his mouth in frustration. Her bottom lip still in-between his teeth, he tugged lightly away as he murmured a "Shh", indicating a sleeping Vera just a few feet away from them.

Her hands went from his chest to the back of his head to grip his curls and pull him back to her mouth. She laid a long, hard kiss on him before stepping away and picking her halter-top back up and tying it on before his brain registered what she was doing. He hooked his forefinger beneath her sarong and pulled her back against him.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she squirmed away and giggled at his hard expression. "Leo will be back any minute, Steven, we can't be doing it on his table when he gets here."

Hyde rolled his eyes and curved another arm around her waist, he nipped lightly at her collarbone before feathering kisses up her neck and around her earlobe. "He doesn't care, babe."

She automatically let her head fall to the side to let him go on but she snapped out of it soon enough when he tried to untie her sarong as well. "Steven, seriously, no."

She moaned the protest and he chuckled under her chin. "Seriously, he won't care."

Jackie slapped him lightly upside his head and tried getting her leg back from between his legs. "I care, c'mon, let go…"

She was trying her best not to laugh, but the image of Hyde crossing his legs around her to lock her in was too amusing.

"Do the magic word." He said.

She shook her head. "We have time for that later."

He cocked a brow and waited.

She sighed and tiptoed up to him, brushing her lips across his face before landing on his lips to nibble. She smiled against him and let her arms float back around his neck. "Good?"

He gave her another kiss. "Mmhm. But I was lying."

She gasped as his fingers found the slip on her thigh and slid under her thong. "Stev—"

"Uh-uh, no waking the baby."

Her head fell back and her throat constricted as she tried to hold in the loud moan stuck in her parched throat. Hyde tipped her head toward him again and let her bury her scream in a bite on his jaw, his busy fingers worked around the tiny string of a cloth and climbed higher into her clenching heat, the slickness making it easier to pump his fingers in and out as her hips worked against his arm.

The panted groans and shallow breaths blew chilled air on the hickey she hungrily left him and he rocked his hardness through his jeans and onto her soft stomach, trying to relieve the pressure in him and draw out her orgasm as long as he could, as hard as he could.

Finally, her hips bucked hard and she stilled her movements as her teeth let go of his flesh and her long moan against the bruise chilled him to the bone. She slid her hand between her legs to fetch his and kissed each finger before letting him taste them himself.

He kept his eyes on her and she watched in a daze as he unzipped his jeans and guided her shoulders down until she was on her knees in front of him. She licked her lips in anticipation.

Slowly inching him between her lips, she twirled her tongue around the engorged tip, and exulted in his low growl. Moving slowly, and then speeding up, she began to ride his shaft with her mouth, taking in as much of him as she could with each pass. She grazed her teeth over his head and he tightened his grip on her hair, his hips quickened its steady pace as she took more of him in her hot mouth.

She felt her abdomen tighten as he rocked against her; she bit down lightly on his shaft to ease the maddening pressure in her stomach. It was all he needed. With a garbled cry of her name, he came in her mouth and she had to swallow several times as the milky fluid shot down her throat to take it all in. She let got with a soft 'pop' and grasped at his hand to help her up.

Laying a sweet kiss on his lips, she zipped his jeans back on and let her fingers massage the thatch of hair under his stomach before buttoning him up.

"I swear, Steven, if he came back just then I would have bit your thing off."

He chuckled. "Good to know."

_Forever fair  
And I'm touching your hair  
I wish we could be dreamers  
In this dream, ohhh  
Let it dream_

_Fair play to you  
Killarney's lakes are so blue  
High-ho silver, tit for tat  
And I love you for that_

**A/N**--  
Huge thank you to Nicole for making a video for Crazy Love, which you could find here --

**.com/users/luci_?mode=reply**

Jackie had fallen asleep on the couch with Vera by the time Leo came back from work and Hyde was watching one of the Spanish soaps on the tiny television, haven given up with trying to find a channel in English, he was now trying to translate the foreign ramblings.

"Hey, Leo, your TV sucks." Hyde got up and gave Leo a hug.

"It's not mine, man, it was here when I moved in." Leo glanced over Hyde's shoulder at the pair of sleeping girls and smiled. "Wow, I can't tell them apart."

"Yeah, Vera's the one with the pacifier." Hyde laughed.

"You're a father, dude."

"Yeah."

"She was smaller when I came by that one time."

"Leo, man, that was five months ago. Babies grow."

"Can I be her father, too?" Leo made his way over to the sleeping baby and ran his thumb across her soft cheek.

"You could be her…uh, Godfather?"

"Cool. Just like the movie, man."

Jackie woke up and yawned, waving at Leo. "Hi Leo!"

"Jackie, Hyde says I could be your daughter's father." Leo shot her a grin and nodded proudly.

Jackie gave Hyde a look and he reiterated. "Godfather, I said he could be her _God_father."

"What's the difference, man?" Leo sat down on the couch next to Jackie and wiggled his fingers on Vera's palm.

"So, Leo, how much experience do you have with babies?" Jackie crossed her legs and looked him over, eyebrows raised.

"What's with the third degree? I think I raised all my brothers."

"You have brothers?" Hyde asked.

"Yeah, they're all way younger than me, man. My mom wasn't home much."

"Oh, so you have experience with male babies…how about girls?" Jackie smiled hopefully.

"Some of my brothers acted like girls?"

Jackie looked to Hyde for help. "Steven…"

Hyde nodded. "Leo, you'd be able to take care of Vera, right?"

Jackie rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, of course, man. We got along last summer, how hard could it be?"

Jackie mentally ran down the list and spoke, "She's still teething, she cries when she's left in her crib too long, she kicks when you change her, she doesn't hold down solid foods too well…"

Hyde cut in, "Well, we brought Popsicles for the teething, and if you carry her while she's awake she's fine…" he paused, "keep a small distance from her feet when you change her and make sure she's always wearing a bib."

"Should we write that down for you?" Jackie hopped up to get a pen.

"I'm good with babies, I had to watch my brother's kids, too, you know. They were evil, though, man. Seriously."

"Vera's an angel." Jackie smiled reassuringly.

"Sometimes."

"All the time." Jackie swatted Hyde on his shoulder.

"So, you guys know there's a storm passing through, right?" Leo headed for the window to open the curtains.

"What?" Jackie got up and ran past Leo to look outside. Dark clouds hovered dangerously over the ocean and the sun was completely hidden. Jackie let out a screech.

"Steven!"

"What? I don't control the weather." Hyde checked over Vera to see if she was still sleeping and being used to her mother's outbursts, she was.

"Well, how long is it supposed to be like this? Put on the news." Jackie gestured toward the small television.

"You know Spanish?"

"Why?"

"Because we're in Mexico and all the stations are in Spanish."

"Leo?" Jackie let the unasked question hang in the air.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Leo started rummaging through his cabinets. "You guys want rice? I make rice pretty good."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Leo, do you know if the weather's going to stay like this?"

"Hell, we're lucky if it doesn't kill us."

"_What_?" Jackie screeched.

Hyde laughed nervously. "He's kidding. Leo, man, you're kidding, right?"

Leo looked between the two and nodded slowly. "Sure, man, whatever."

Jackie's jaw dropped and she ran to Hyde, throwing her arms around his neck, she sobbed, "I'm too pretty to die!"

Hyde stumbled back at the blow but regained his footing quickly. "Jackie, we're going to be fine."

"Wisconsin doesn't _get_ hurricanes. We're not going to be fine. It's going to know we're new blood!" Jackie continued gripping his shirt and sniffling.

Hyde had to stop himself from laughing. "Jackie, I seriously doubt a hurricane's coming."

Jackie pulled back and wiped her eyes. "Oh, yeah?" She walked over to the television set and pointed to the bright warning with a lightening rod scrolling across the screen in Spanish. "What do you think that says? Enjoy the weather?"

Leo shook his head. "Nah, man, your Spanish is horrible. It says to stay inside and put boards up. Oh, man, and it says we have to evacuate if we live on the coast! What the hell, man, the whole city's on the coast!"

"Oh my god, Steven, I want to go home." Jackie picked Vera up quickly and went back to his side, trying to fit back under his arm.

"Jackie…the planes don't usually fly in weather like this." He rubbed her back reassuringly. "But we could go back to the hotel, they probably know what to do."

"Hey, man, can I stay with you? I don't think I have boards to put up."

Jackie gave him a look. "_No_, you can't stay with us…you could…get another room."

"That's what I meant, you think I wanna stay in a room with you two?" Leo laughed.

"Alright, whatever we're doing, we're doing it now before our rental car gets blown away." Hyde tried to move his arm away from Jackie to get their stuff but she wouldn't loosen her hold on him. "Jackie."

She clung tighter and started to bounce Vera softly, nervous. "Hmm?"

"You need to let go." Hyde tried to move unsuccessfully again.

"Right, let go? Hah. Good luck with that, mister."

"Okay, I'll just drag you along with me." Hyde moved awkwardly to the couch to get the baby bag and bassinet. "Jackie, c'mon."

"I am not moving, Steven."

Hyde sighed. "This is going to be fun…"

They all managed to get to Casablanca safely and after Leo distracted Jackie with wanting to hold Vera, Hyde quickly rounded all their bags and made it out to the town car they had parked outside.

The hotel was crowded with people checking in and out and Jackie was close to tears, every time she looked up a new black cloud would appear and she cursed the travel agent who had said it'd be clear skies for their duration of the stay.

Despite getting his own room, Leo still squeezed in with them for company and Jackie took advantage of the situation.

"So, since we're all stuck in the huge, lovely hotel room, I say we let Leo take care of Vera while we monitor him and see if he's really qualified to baby-sit her when this hurricane blows over and we're out enjoying our expensive damn honeymoon."

"I'm right here, man," Leo spoke up.

"That you are," Jackie smiled and picked Vera up from the bed next to Hyde, where she was currently grabbing at his hair and pulling cheerfully. "How many times have I told you that daddy's hair is _attached_ to his head?" Vera giggled in response. Jackie shook her head and handed her to Leo. "There."

Leo positioned her over his shoulder and patted her back gently. "Why are you all staring at me? I told you I was good at this."

Hyde laughed. "She does this to everyone."

"I do not." Jackie wrinkled her nose and asked, "I didn't do it to you, did I?"

"Hey, dudes, what's that look on her face mean?" Leo held Vera away from him to scrutinize her face further.

"I think she's about to be sick," Jackie rushed over to them and threw a bib across her shoulder. "That plane ride was too much for her little stomach." Jackie cooed and rubbed Vera's back as she spit up. "There, baby, you're fine."

Jackie brought her to the bathroom to clean up and Leo sat heavily on the couch next to the bed, "Hey, don't worry about this hurricane, man, I heard the news and they said it was just winging us and it was small already anyway. The brochure says paradise, they're lying, man, it must rain here every week."

"You could have told us that on the phone, man." Hyde propped his head up on his arm and flicked the TV on.

"You wouldn't have come if I told you that." Leo laughed.

"Nice burn," Hyde chuckled and started flipping through channels. "Is there anything in English?"

"The weather channel is in English sometimes. Hell, I'm beat. You don't mind if I crash here? My room is too far away, I won't make it." Leo's head hit the back of the chair and he was asleep before Hyde got a chance to respond.

He sighed and rubbed his eyebrows, muttering to himself, "Jackie's going to kill me."

He was still breathing but the looks Jackie shot his way every so often kind of made him entertain the thought of not having the oxygen privilege. Vera was asleep in between them and Leo was still snoring on the couch, Jackie had her arms crossed and feigned interest in the Mexican movie playing.

"Jackie," Hyde whispered.

She sighed and kept her gaze on the screen.

Hyde rolled his eyes and poked her. "Babe,"

She pressed her lips together in annoyance. "Steven. What?"

Hyde was so intent on getting her attention that he forgot why he even called her in the first place. "Leo said the hurricane isn't that bad, it won't even hit this city."

"Will there still be rain and heavy winds?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Uh, yeah."

"Then don't talk to me."

"Jackie, c'mon."

"Okay, fine, the weather isn't your fault but Leo falling asleep in here is!" She gave him another stern look, which he found more cute than irritating and had to keep from laughing.

"What is so funny?"

"Nothing."

"Ugh, you're always laughing at me." Jackie crossed her arms and focused her attention back to the television. Suddenly, she gasped, "Oh my god, what station is this?"

The scene changed to a woman and man having sex in a roadside motel room and didn't seem to leave anything out, Jackie scrambled for the remote to change it before Hyde snatched it from her and lowered the volume.

"Steven, what are you doing? Change it."

"How many times would we able to see Mexican porn?"

Jackie glared. "Steven."

Hyde nodded to the screen. "This is pretty good stuff, too." He reached over for the TV schedule pamphlet and traced his finger along the movie titles. "Hmm, _'Erótica_, Two men commit a robbery. One is caught and the other runs away. He ends his escape in a lonely and deserted beach when he meets a beautiful woman named Erotica. They both start a passionate love affair that is interrupted when the other conman escape from prison and joins them. A sexual/sentimental love triangle begins leading to a violent confrontation between the two men.' Sounds pretty interesting."

"Of course it sounds interesting, you perv, it has sex in it." Jackie rolled her eyes.

"Jackie, it's either this or that Spanish game show you couldn't understand the rules to since it didn't have any subtitles. Oh, or the weather channel."

"What if Vera wakes up to this?" Jackie questioned.

"I lowered it."

"Fine. But don't get any ideas."

He smirked. "Right."

~^~  
The movie ended and Jackie and Hyde were still staring at the screen, Hyde managed to slip his arm around her waist as they watched and Jackie absently traced circles on the palm of his hand. Needless to say, they were definitely feeling the heat. The heavy winds hummed loudly outside their window and the branches scraped incessantly against the glass as they tried to figure out a way to be alone. Mentally, they reviewed their options: they couldn't leave Vera alone with a sleeping Leo, they couldn't leave Vera alone with an awake Leo until they were sure he knew what to do, they had nowhere to go…

"Damnit," Hyde cursed.

"I know." Jackie sighed. "I hope you know this is your fault."

"Of course it is."

"Steven, seriously, can we sit and quietly watch a steamy movie called 'Erotica' in Spanish without getting turned on?"

"Well,--"

"Well, nothing, we can't even watch a hot tub be presented on The Price is Right without getting ideas."

He heaved a sigh. "There's a bathroom over there with a Jacuzzi."

"Really?" Jackie perked up and turned to get up when she realized who was on her lap. "Steven, we can't."

"If I had a dime every time you said that…"

"You'd still be poor." Jackie smiled and gave him a kiss. "We have time."

"Says you." Hyde leaned in for another kiss and buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her strawberry scent. "You smell good."

"Oh, I bought the new fruity shampoo at Piggly Wiggly's before we left." She dropped her head down to rest on his and closed her eyes. "Sleepy."

"Horny."

"Steven, go to sleep."

"After," Hyde licked lightly at her earlobe and blew, sending shivers down her spine.

She yawned and knocked him lightly on the head. "Sleep or I'll kick you."

A week went by and the rain and winds persisted, Jackie and Hyde managed to get out and visit the local bistros and bars in town but ended up coming back earlier than they intended to check on Vera. Despite Leo's shady track record with babysitting, he seemed pretty natural with it all and made the baby laugh more than they've ever seen. Leo agreed to stay off the 'film' while they were there and brought Vera around town when the weather cleared up.

Even though they were more comfortable with Leo watching her, they weren't used to being away from her longer than they had to and they usually cut their plans short to go back to her. The weather finally cleared on the 7th day and Leo brought them all to the Foto Hut he opened in town. It looked exactly like the old one except his employees were actually working and he cared a little more about where the money ended up. Since he was paying for his beach house and not squatting, he learned how to be responsible.

A little.

In payment for babysitting Vera, Jackie and Hyde would take Leo out for dinner with them every other night and buy more 'film' to bring back home for the gang. Leo's beach house was still surprisingly in tact when they came back and the beach didn't look half as scary as before, what with the waves being of normal height and the sun being out. Jackie attempts at tanning were thwarted every time she went for the door, though, and she was getting fed up.

"Steven. I. Won't. Get. Sunburned." She tried to duck under his arm but he pulled her back into his chest.

"The UV out here is eleven _plus_, Jackie, the world's strongest sun block won't save you. You get a tan going out to the damn car, come on."

Her face turned upward. "Aw…"

"Nope." Hyde shook his head. "Don't do that, you know this for purely selfish reasons, now get your ass back in the door."

"Steven's a sweetie pie…" Jackie teased.

"Yeah, keep that up and you can forget about going to their little mall." He smirked.

She rolled her eyes. "You can't stop me."

"Oh, I can stop you." He started to walk towards her and she screeched and gave chase, Hyde not far behind.

Another week passed and the weather surprisingly held up, Leo was having a blast watching Vera, he usually didn't have to do much because Jackie and Hyde would show up less than two hours after they dropped her off. They were at the beach when Vera started crying and Leo stood dumbfounded.

"Whoa, little one, stop!" He looked around frantically for something to give her and grabbed up the note Jackie left him and read aloud, 'If she starts crying, pick her up.' Oh, that's easy."

He picked Vera up and rocked her on his shoulder, she continued wailing. "Man…" He took the note and read the next part, 'If still crying, give her teething ring.' Teething ring? What the hell?" He sifted through his freezer and brought the ring out triumphantly, he let her chew on it and she simmered down. "Man, that was heavy."

He set her down in her bassinet again and started looking through his fridge. "You hungry? The milk they have here is from your mom, she's like a human cow, man, it's cool."

Vera started to giggle with the ring in her mouth and he laughed, "Hey, you understand me. You're like, the only person ever who can do that. Other than your father, but even he's a little dense at times, you know?"

Vera continued her giggling and Leo smiled appreciatively. "They should bring you over more often, we'd have fun you and me." Leo opened up her diaper bag and brought out some of her rattles. "You have more of these than I do, man."

She reached for them and he dangled it in front of her hand, the phone rang and he jumped up to look for it. "I'm coming!" He picked the receiver up and said, "Hey, I said I was coming, man, you could have stopped ringing."

"Hey Leo, is Jackie or Hyde there?" Kelso's staticy voice came through the line.

"Nah, man, they went swimming or something. I don't know why, man, it's like two in the morning. Hey. Why are you calling me at two in the morning, man?"

"It's four, here."

"Why are you calling me at four in the morning?"

"I thought it'd be four in the afternoon there, Donna lied to me, damnit. You guys aren't on the other side of the world, right?"

"I don't think so man, Mexico's underneath that place with the cowboys and that's not too far from where you are."

"See, I knew it. So, Leo, what are you doing?"

"I'm watching Vera, man, she's a kick in the head. She keeps laughing at me."

"She laughs at me too, I don't know why. She doesn't laugh half as much with Eric or Donna."

"That dude and that other chick are kind of squares, man. Vera's an old soul, like us."

"Roger _that_. This police stuff is more hard work than anything."

"Dude, you're a cop? It wasn't me, man, I swear." Leo held up his hand.

"No, man, not yet, I'm training."

"Well, good, 'cause it wasn't me. And you're out of your jurisdiction if you come looking for me, man."

"No one's looking for you, Leo, I'm just training."

"You're working for the man, man."

"Actually, I'm working for a woman and she's pretty hot."

"Hey, isn't this phone call, like, expensive, man? Hyde yells at Jackie whenever she stays on the phone with that red head too long."

"Oh, man, you're right. Red's gonna kill me, I gotta go."

Leo heard a click and the line went dead, he shrugged and hung the phone up. "Hey Vera, that was your uncle Dumbass as Hyde likes to call him."

Vera was sound asleep with the ring halfway out of her mouth and he put a finger to his mouth, "Oops. Man, what's taking your parents so long?"

_Earlier that night…_

Jackie looked Hyde over and tapped a manicured finger to her bottom lip. "Steven?"

"Hm?" Hyde was trying to figure out what was happening in the Spanish soap opera and one of the women just slapped her boyfriend…or brother, he wasn't sure.

"You ever had sex on the beach?"

"What?" Hyde snapped out his daze and looked at her.

"Sex on the beach, you ever had it?"

"The drink?"

"No."

He raised his eyebrows. "No…"

She broke into a huge smile. "Good, c'mon."

"What?" He must have been going deaf, Jackie willing to get sand in unknown areas for the sake of sex?

"You heard me." Jackie rushed out the back door with Hyde on her heels.

**It ends here if you're under 17 or not in to smut...**

**Warning**--Smut ahead.

Missing beach scene from the previous chapter.

The hot sand dug into her elbows as he pumped in and out of her from behind, the waves crashed at their feet and drew closer and closer to her knees. The night air was still and humid, making the salty scent from the ocean and heady aroma of their coupling heavy and strong as she gasped out his name in a plead.

His free hand came down hard on the side of her ass as she let out a piercing screech, the sting going directly to her groin. Her damp hair fell around her face and stuck to her forehead with the sweat pouring over her body as he continued his assault on her, his other hand gripped her hip tight and created crescent shaped marks on her sensitive flesh. He was hard inside of her and the tough skin around his length created a sensory overload; her knees weakened its locked position under his gyrating hips and she dug her fingers in the sand to keep herself steady. His scratchy groans barely registered as she grinded back against him, desperate for release and hoping if she moaned his name loud enough, he'd go faster and harder.

Her back arched like a cat as he pulled out almost completely before plunging back into her, coating himself with her flowing juices and driving her forward in to the blanket of sand. His muscles ached and tightened as he kept up his pace behind her, determined to make the torturous pleasure last long past dusk. He could tell she was exhausted and a few thrusts away from begging him to let her come, but this was their last night there and he needed to make it even more memorable than the last seven.

He drew out again and slowly, madly, inched back in, his thumb coming into brief contact with her drenched clit and making her whip her head back to curse his name. He felt all the blood rush south and explode into her as she tightened her inner walls around him decisively, taking matters into her own hands. He roared her name into the thickly scented air around them, pumping furiously to spill inside of her everything that he had bottled up. Her strangled moans filled his senses deliciously and he collapsed on top of her, spent.

The waves crashed down over them as they stood on rubbery legs, still locked in each other's arms; before she could protest, Hyde scooped her up in his embrace and went further into the ocean, Jackie's squealing and giggling surrounding them. The water was chilly and the liquid ran down their skin like silk, making it easier for Hyde to position Jackie on him again. He slipped inside her heated cleft and drew her tighter against him as the swell of water washed over them harder, her hands clung to his neck like a life line and she crossed her legs around his hips anxiously, moaning softly in his ear. He bucked into her deeper as the ocean carried them further out to sea, the cold water inched around Jackie's chest, her breasts dipped in and out as he moved his hips harder under her.

He suckled an erect nipple into his mouth as she writhed herself further against him, her heart beating fast against his lips. Their climax rippled through their bodies like thunder and he had to tighten his grasp on her slippery waist as she thrashed beneath him, the water threatening to carry her away. He strained against her as the pleasure pricked at his skin and hummed steadily throughout his body.

"That was definitely better than the drink." Hyde breathed against her neck.

"Definitely." Jackie sighed happily.


End file.
